Cat's Cradle
by WatchingTheWatchman
Summary: When Juushiro learns that he's to room with Shunsui, Academy playboy extraordinaire, his heart sinks. He's already dealing with bullies and a heavy classload; he doesn't want to deal with the notorious student as well. Shunsui, for his part, is no happier, regarding Juushiro as a boring stick in the mud. Will they be able to get along, or will their dorm room become a battleground?
1. Welcome Back

**Chapter 1: Welcome Back**

The tall mirror stood proudly on its pedestal, gazing out at the darkened hall in arrogant isolation. Its silvery surface gleamed with a soft internal light that danced through the glass in total disregard of the laws of physics and their pesky requirements about reflection. The old oak frame, by contrast, appeared to absorb any ray of light that neared it. Only detailed inspection would reveal the delicate runes carved along every inch of its surface.

The young woman standing in front of the mirror smiled cynically as she ran her hand over the graven marks, keeping her fingertips a breath away from the wood. The juxtaposition between the unassuming frame and the gaudy glass amused her – the real power rested in the wood, but a casual onlooker would assume that the glass held all the magic. People were easily deceived by appearances.

Her own appearance was the perfect example of that. Her youthful face consistently led people to underestimate her, though her eyes spoke of years of hardship and pain. A spark of callous darkness lurked in their depths, along with more than a hint of madness. Power, too, swirled in those cobalt eyes, complimenting and enhancing the manic gleam.

But the assessing gaze she turned on the mirror held no sign of insanity. Just cold calculation.

The mirror, sensing her gaze, brightened. For a brief moment, silver light flashed across the glass, obscuring its surface and lighting the darkened room. Then it cleared, leaving behind an image of an ebon-haired girl, hands on her hips, staring defiantly out of the glass. It wasn't a reflection of the woman, though it could have been. The girl in the mirror bore a striking resemblance to the woman now watching it with a guarded expression, all the way down to the subtle tilt of the eyes. Then the girl in the reflection turned away and the image dissolved back into argent light.

The woman, who went by the name of Whisper, grimaced. She knew the tales of the mirror's power, and had no desire to explore its depths. Though its capabilities could be very useful, it had a reputation – among certain circles – as a capricious item. No one knew if it was sentient, alive in some way, or simply strange, but it did not pay to use it too often. Of its past four owners, three had died under mysterious circumstances, and the fourth had only possessed the mirror for a month before hastily arranging a private auction. _Too much knowledge can truly drive a person mad_ , Whisper thought with amusement.

The current owner, however, didn't believe in the myths. She knew that much about him, and considered him an incompetent idiot. But then, she thought the same of most nobles.

This one, however, was more foolish than most. He stored the mirror in a grandiose hall, arranged specifically to showcase its splendor, though no one but him ever saw it. Each day, as the sun set, he would visit the mirror, spending nearly a bell in front of its gleaming surface. She didn't know what he saw in it, but it must have been exciting, for he always left the hall with reiatsu lashing about him in agitation.

Whisper smirked as she imagined his expression when he found the mirror missing and a delicate origami flower left in its place. The thought amused her, as little else did. The flower was her calling card; it acted as both a threat and a promise. Nobles feared and loathed the way it told them that they were never safe, even in the heart of their sanctuaries. But it also promised them that, if they knew how to contact her, she would gladly retrieve their lost treasure for them – for a suitable sum. In the past, feuding nobles had paid her obscene sums of money to steal and re-steal the same precious items over and over again.

Somehow she suspected that this would not be one of those times.

She slipped a pair of black silk gloves over her hands and reached out to cautiously touch the mirror frame with a single finger. When nothing happened, she let out a silent breath and grasped the frame firmly.

The mirror was surprisingly easy to lift. Though such an unwieldy object should have been heavy, it weighed no more than a well-balanced blade. She could feel a faint humming through the gloves, and wondered if it was just her imagination, but no. The power imbued in the wood was singing. It resembled a cat's purr mixed with the crackle of static electricity and the high, pure ring of a wet finger on a wine glass, and ran across her hands as though a thousand insects danced on her skin.

She shivered. If not for the exorbitant commission she would receive for the safe delivery of the mirror, she would have shattered it. That power held an unnerving tingle of darkness; no shinigami kido had produced it. Her instincts screamed that at her, though she was no soul reaper.

But a hundred gold coins – enough to live on for a year – awaited her if she could successfully deliver the mirror to her contact within the month. Double that if she managed the delivery in a week. The money loomed far larger in her mind than petty moral concerns; after all, _she_ didn't have to use the mirror. Just transport it.

 _Although_ , Whisper thought grimly, _that might prove difficult if I can't stand to touch it for more than a few minutes_. The silk gloves should have insulated her from the power, but either the protection spells woven into the fabric had failed, or the mirror was simply too strong.

 _Probably the latter_ , she decided. _If this thing can do even half of what the rumors say it can, it must be immensely powerful_. While she had handled priceless magical artifacts before, none had been laced with the kind of darkness that the mirror possessed. _So, time for plan b_. She shrugged off her enveloping cloak, woven from mottled shades of dark grey silk, and draped it over the mirror's frame. The fabric cut off the eerie illumination coming from the glass, plunging the room into utter darkness.

That didn't bother Whisper. She did her best work in the dark.

The sigils embedded in the cloak's fabric flared to life as they wrapped themselves around the mirror. She had paid a fortune for the illegal kido spells, but they were worth every copper. They reduced the mirror's song to a mere susurration of sound and dampened its power so that no one, not even she, could sense its presence.

Whisper smiled twistedly. _Perfect_. She gently lifted the mirror off of its stand, setting it to the side long enough to drop her signature origami flower onto the dais. Then, cradling the mirror under her arm, she strode briskly out of the room.

* * *

The blade swept down, narrowly missing Juushiro's shoulder. He dodged to one side and shouted the incantation for Shakkaho, firing the blast of red flame at his opponent. The scarred man nodded as he slipped out of the way, returning fire with a flickering bolt of lightning. Juushiro dropped to the ground as it whistled by overhead. As he rolled to his feet, his attacker lunged at him with a straight thrust to the solar plexus. He parried with difficulty, wincing as the shock of the clash rattled through his bones. Stepping to the side, he lashed out with a sideways strike – intended to force the man backwards rather than wound.

But instead of dodging, the man stepped inside the thrust and parried. The move left Juushiro wide open for a head-level cut, which the man took. Swearing under his breath, Juushiro jerked his body backwards. The blade hissed past his face, close enough for him to feel the wind of its passage. _Damn, he's fast_ , Juushiro thought admiringly. _And he's not even sweating_. Juushiro, panting and dripping with sweat, had to respect that.

He fired another kido spell with his left hand as he backpedaled hastily in an attempt to avoid the measured swings coming at him. He didn't expect the bakudo rope to catch his opponent, but it gave him a second of breathing room as it forced the man to dodge out of the way. Seizing the opportunity, Juushiro went on the offensive. Spitting the call for Shakkaho again, he followed the fireball with a downwards strike at his opponent's collarbone. The older man blocked smoothly, allowing Juushiro's blade to slide off at an angle. Juushiro, off-balance, couldn't react in time when his opponent followed up with a slash down at his neck.

Juushiro froze as the blade came lightly to rest on his throat. "Good job, Ukitake-san," his opponent complimented, sheathing the bamboo sword.

"Thank you, sensei," Juushiro replied, bowing politely to the scarred older man. Izanagi Kichiro was a gruff, stocky man with dark brown hair and eyes, clad in the traditional black shihakusho of a working shinigami. Several scars, remnants of various hollow fights, crisscrossed his face and forearms. He wore a forest green obi around his waist, with a sheath for his zanpakuto attached.

Kichiro-sensei patted him on the shoulder. "You've got speed, and your kido during battle is excellent for a fourth-year student. Are you in the advanced kido class?"

Juushiro nodded. "Yes, sensei, with Shihoin-sensei."

"Good. Ask her for tips on casting without the incantation; it'll increase your maneuverability. Keeping working on your footwork, but overall a good showing." He turned to the watching students. "Kyoraku-san, you're next."

Juushiro stepped backwards and watched as his infuriatingly attractive roommate strolled across the room to bow to their instructor. Although he had only met Kichiro-sensei a bell ago, he could tell that the man deserved their respect. Just the way that he evaluated their skills made it clear that he was a warrior with decades of experience.

 _Which is good, since he'll be our primary trainer for the next three years_ , Juushiro thought wryly. Kichiro-sensei would teach them everything from zanjutsu to strategy – almost everything they needed to know to graduate. Although other teachers led the kido and medicine classes, they would spend the majority of their time with him, and with each other.

Juushiro looked around the room at the diverse group of students waiting for their turn to be tested. _I wonder why they assigned all of us to this particular squad?_ he wondered. _I don't think you could find a more varied group of students if you tried_. Maybe that was the point.

The simple missive he had received certainly hadn't explained how the squads were chosen. It had been delivered to Juushiro several weeks before the term began, and read,

 _Greetings._

 _Starting in your fourth year, you are assigned to a squad of eight members, which will remain constant for your last three years at the Academy. While you will still take some classes with your year-group, most of your classes will be taught to your individual squad. Squad transfer is only permitted under exceptional circumstances._

 _As an upperclassman, you will be assigned a room with one other member of your squad. Room transfers are not permitted. The Academy policies on drinking, drugs, and fraternization still apply. However, upperclassmen do not have a curfew. Use the freedom responsibly._

 _Please report to the main office for your squad and roommate assignments when you arrive._

 _By the order of Headmaster Yamamoto._

When Juushiro had reported as ordered, he had been given a list of classes and a room key to a dorm room overlooking the field in front of the offices. The rooms were a definite step up from the underclassmen housing, which had been four to a room, with scarcely enough space to turn around. Though his new room was spartan, Juushiro welcomed the increased privacy. Surely this year would be far better than the prior three.

Unfortunately, his meeting with his new roommate, Shunsui Kyoraku, had shaken that hopeful thought. The young man's reputation was the talk of the Academy – Juushiro didn't know how he had avoided expulsion. Rumor had it, he'd done everything from making out with a girl in the supply closet to skinny-dipping in the Academy pond during a parental visitation week. Juushiro grimaced. Surely some of that had to be hearsay. But, as he watched Shunsui flirt outrageously with both Rei Kuchiki and Mika Fujimoto after his turn with Kichiro, he had a sinking feeling that most of it was true.

Juushiro looked around the room. Sandy-haired Hikaru Nakamura chatted animatedly with Ryuu Hibiki, whose vivid green eyes shone as he gesticulated wildly. Taro Kannogi, clad in long sleeves despite the late summer warmth, read a book in the corner. Dark-eyed Aono Kira listened to Shunsui's flirtations with the girls, occasionally adding his own playful comment. Mika blushed under the attention, playing with tendrils of her curly brown hair, while the blond, busty Rei laughed and teased the boys right back.

 _So this is my team for the next three years_ , he thought to himself. He knew Aono Kira from the advanced kido classes, and often studied with Taro Kannogi, but he only knew the others in passing. Children of the Kuchiki and Kyoraku clans were not encouraged to socialize with lesser nobles; he wondered what Shunsui thought of the roommate assignments. _I wonder if he knows about my illness?_ Juushiro bit his lip nervously. His prior roommates had blatantly shunned him because of it; he hoped that Shunsui would be different. _But why would a high noble care about someone like me?_

Juushiro firmly pushed the melancholy thoughts away. Based on Shunsui's reputation, he wasn't even sure if he wanted to be friends with the man. _Womanizing and drinking your time away – no thanks_. Then Juushiro sighed. _Don't judge him before you know him_ , he reminded himself firmly. _He may be a great person once you actually talk to him_.

A bell rang, and the students all looked up at Kichiro-sensei. The stocky man nodded to them. "I expect you here at seven bells tomorrow morning," he announced. "You are dismissed."

As they hurried to put their practice blades away and get to their next class in time, Juushiro cast a surreptitious glance at Shunsui. The brown-haired student had his arm wrapped around Rei's shoulders as she giggled at his attempts to declaim poetry. Ryuu attempted to help by suggesting words, which only served to make Rei laugh harder. Juushiro hid a smile as Shunsui loudly declared that a particularly bad metaphor was the height of poetic mastery. _Maybe he won't be so bad_ , he thought hopefully.

* * *

That hope lasted until the next morning. Juushiro reported to the dojo along with the rest of the squad, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Kichiro-sensei stood at rest at the front of the dojo, watching as the students shifted uncomfortably under his piercing gaze. The eight of them stood in a line, attempting to mimic his poised posture with little success. Shunsui, at the end of the line, wasn't even trying. He gazed around sleepily, tousled brown hair and rumpled uniform drawing disapproval whenever Kichiro's gaze lit upon him. Juushiro frowned. _Why did I have to get stuck with the worst roommate in the group?_ he wondered irritably. He had been woken up half a dozen times by unexpected noises through the paper-thin walls, and wasn't in the greatest mood. Being forced to endure Shunsui's grumblings when woken for the early morning class had only made him more frustrated. _Why couldn't I be roommates with Kannogi or Kira, or even Nakamura?_ Any of them would have been better.

At last Kichiro-sensei let his arms fall from their clasped position behind his back. "Welcome to your first hakuda class," he announced gravely. He nodded his head, and they all bowed hastily. "Does anyone know why we don't teach hand-to-hand combat until the fourth year?"

Hikaru raised a tentative hand, and Kichiro gestured to him. "Because it's not as useful?" he guessed.

Kichiro shook his head. "You'll find hakuda to be very useful in certain situations. Although it's not the preferred tool for hollow elimination, hollows are not your only enemy. Anyone else?" He scanned the group with narrowed eyes.

Ryuu shrugged. "It's hard to learn?" he offered.

Again, Kichiro shook his head. "No harder than zanjutsu. But you're on the right track. Can anyone expand on Hibiki-san's answer?"

Juushiro bit his lip as he considered the question. If it wasn't harder to learn, what was it? "It's harder to control?" he asked softly. The answer didn't quite fit, but he didn't have a better one. Judging by the puzzled expressions of the other students, no one else knew, either. _At least I'm not the only one confused_.

Kichiro-sensei paused. The scars on his face deepened as he frowned in thought. "In a sense," he said finally. "The control is not precisely the issue; kido is far harder to control than either zanjutsu or hakuda, and we teach that starting in the first year. But control – your control – is the reason why we wait." He looked at them seriously. "You all know the penalties for drawing your blade or using kido during a fight, whether that's a bar brawl or a quarrel with another student. They are sufficiently harsh to keep incidents down to a minimum." Juushiro shuddered involuntarily, and several other students did the same. During their second year, one of their classmates had pulled his asauchi in a fit of temper. He had seriously injured another student before the teachers, drawn to the violent clash of reiatsu, had arrived. Because the other student had survived, the miscreant had been sentenced to only thirty lashes. The punishment, carried out in front of the whole school, had left him unconscious and bleeding heavily, barely able to move for days afterwards. The torn skin had left a crazed patchwork of gashes on his back; even survivors of hollow attacks bore fewer wounds.

He had then been expelled as soon as he could walk. They had never heard from him again.

Kichiro-sensei nodded soberly, sensing the direction of their thoughts. "It may seem barbaric, but it is effective. The Academy has very few incidents of unauthorized usage of zanpakuto or kido. However, it is impossible to forbid the use of hakuda once it is learned." He smiled humorlessly. "You are young men, we expect that you will be in fights on occasion." Rei and Mika narrowed their eyes at that, but Kichiro-sensei seemed oblivious. "We do not teach hakuda until your fourth year for that reason. By now, we trust that you have sufficient self-control to keep your newly-learned skills to yourself." He eyed them sternly. "If we find that you have been misusing them and picking fights, you will be dealt with." He didn't need to specify the penalty.

The students exchanged nervous glances, and Kichiro sighed heavily. "We teach these for your protection, so do not fear to utilize them when you are in danger." Despite his attempt at a reassuring tone, none of their expressions lightened. Aono Kira's dark eyes were hard and cold, while Taro Kannogi studied Kichiro with a vaguely worried expression. Ryuu hid a yawn behind his hand, moss-green eyes glancing around nervously; Shunsui just looked bored. Rei and Mika exchanged unreadable glances – Juushiro wondered if they had chosen to join the hakuda class, or if they had been forced into it. Female students were not required to take hand-to-hand combat classes, though they did need to show proficiency in self-defense with a blade.

Kichiro-sensei cast a chilly glance at the two girls. "I do not believe that we should teach women these combat skills, for you will not be in a combat position. Hakuda is not kido; it cannot be performed from a safe distance. But if you are assigned as the healer for a squad, you will need to know how to protect yourself. In the absolute worst case, you may be without your zanpakuto." He sighed again. "So you will receive the same lessons as the young men." Rei and Mika looked at each other unenthusiastically. Rei looked offended, while Mika had assumed a pleasant mask that revealed none of her true feelings. Both kept their reiatsu under rigid control; Juushiro couldn't sense anything from either noble daughter.

Kichiro nodded once, decisively. "It is a good thing there are two of you in this class; you will be partnered together." He scanned the line of students. "Hibiki-san, Nakamura-san, partners. Kyoraku-san, Ukitake-san, partners. And Kannogi-san and Kira-san will work together as well." He clapped his hands together sharply. "Form two lines down the center of the dojo."

Thus began their first hakuda lesson. After running them through a series of basic blocks and punches, Kichiro-sensei ordered one side to strike, while the other blocked. He walked up and down the lines, correcting the angle of a punch here and the width of a stance there. Soon Juushiro's thigh muscles ached from the stance and sweat dripped down his face. The tedious repetition of strikes lulled him into a trance, where each punch flowed from his body without the intervention of his brain. Across from him, Shunsui blocked with a look of boredom on his face.

Eventually, Kichiro-sensei ordered the other side to attack, and Juushiro switched into the series of eight blocks that they had just learned. Shunsui's punches were haphazard – most wouldn't have hit Juushiro even if he missed the block. "Pay attention, will you?" he hissed quietly.

Shunsui rolled his eyes. "This is boring," he complained in a whisper.

"Boring?" Kichiro-sensei demanded sharply. "Kyoraku-san, do you think you have something better to be doing with your time?"

Shunsui shrugged, unabashed. "This is easy. It won't help us against a hollow, or anyone else either." He tossed another punch at Juushiro, who blocked hard with his forearm. Shunsui hissed as their bones collided, wincing away from the impact. Juushiro rolled his eyes and returned his hands to the guard position, sinking lower into his horse stance.

Kichiro nodded to him, then asked critically, "When you first started learning kendo, did you immediately begin by sparring other students?" He gave Shunsui a stern look. "Or did you start by practicing a set of strikes and blocks, just like we're doing now?"

"The latter, sensei," Aono Kira replied politely. Shunsui's lips quirked, but he kept his mouth shut.

Kichiro nodded. "Always start with the basics." He looked around the room, and barked, "Now return to your drills." Shunsui rolled his eyes as he obeyed the order. Juushiro sighed internally as he returned to the endless pattern of blocks, pushing away his awareness of the growing bruises along his forearms. _Kami, I hope I don't have to deal with this every class_. If he had to work with his roommate every day, he would go insane.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of Cat's Cradle! I welcome any feedback, and particularly appreciate constructive criticism, as I'm always looking to get better. So if you enjoyed the chapter, or if you think it could be improved, please let me know in a review!


	2. The Problems with Dorm Life

**Chapter 2: The Problems with Dorm Life  
**

"Damn it, I swear this is going to drive me crazy," Shunsui groaned, casting a baleful glance at Juushiro's half of the room as he flopped onto his futon. The spartan furnishings on his roommate's side were free of crumpled papers and discarded clothes, while Shunsui's half was accumulating a growing pile of clutter. Several dirty uniform tops lay in the corner, and the desk was covered in balled-up scraps of paper. Shunsui turned his glare onto the litter, which was all that remained of his attempts to produce the latest essay for Kichiro-sensei. "Why do we have to write an essay on the various ways to kill hollows, anyway?" he complained to the empty room. "It'd be way more useful to actually learn those ways."

Silence answered him, and he groaned again. The neat stack of paper on Juushiro's desk was a mocking reminder that his perfect roommate had already finished the assignment. _He'll probably get full marks, too_. Whereas Shunsui would be lucky to scrape by with a passing grade. _Why does he have to be so perfect?_

It didn't help that Juushiro was infuriatingly attractive, not to mention completely unaware of his own allure. The way he nibbled at his lower lip when working on a difficult problem was maddeningly sexy, as was the spark of annoyance that appeared in his liquid emerald eyes whenever Shunsui interrupted him. Sometimes Shunsui wondered what would happen if he grabbed a lock of that silvery hair and yanked Juushiro's mouth to his – it would probably be glorious for a millisecond, until Juushiro blasted him through a wall. _He's way too good with those kido spells that he likes_. Shunsui rolled his eyes. _Of course, he's an uptight stick-in-the-mud who spends every minute of time practicing, so that's not a surprise_. In the weeks since the term began, Shunsui hadn't seen Juushiro relax once. They shared their room in cool silence, working alone on the mounds of homework assigned by their various teachers. Or rather, Juushiro spent his time working; Shunsui didn't see the point in working that hard.

 _Maybe I should try, though_. Shunsui heaved a sigh and sat up. _Maybe, if I put a bit more effort into my classes, things would go more smoothly_. But Kichiro-sensei's opinion of him was already as low as it could go; his other senseis' views hardly better. Shunsui grimaced. _And my dear old parents would be delighted if I got kicked out of here – they probably expected it years ago_. Truth be told, he had passed his earlier classes purely to spite them. And he was passing now – barely. _It's not like I'll ever get a decent position in any of the five divisions, not with the stories Father tells everyone about me. So why bother trying?_ Each division was led by one of the five great houses, and protected the lands held by that clan. No clan leader would want a lazy, good-for-nothing player in his ranks; even Shunsui's high rank wouldn't get him a position without his family's backing.

 _Then again, do I really want a position in the Gotei Five?_ He couldn't imagine spending the rest of his life trapped by the military strictures, forced into the mold of a perfect shinigami officer and forbidden from taking part in anything that made life pleasurable. _Yeah, no thanks_. He'd last less than a month.

Juushiro, on the other hand, would be perfect for that role. _I don't think he's broken a rule in his life_. Shunsui grimaced and reached under his cot for a bottle of sake, hissing as the alcohol burned down his throat. Taking another swig, he set the bottle aside and reached for his quill. Maybe getting drunk would help him finish the damn essay.

"Drinking already?" Shunsui glanced up, startled, as the door slid open. Juushiro stood in the doorway, arms laden with books, as he gave Shunsui a disapproving look. "You know you're not supposed to have alcohol in here."

Shunsui grinned flippantly at his roommate. "Want some?" He held up the flask with an inviting look, and Juushiro rolled his eyes.

"No thank you." He dumped his books on his desk, pulling up a flat pillow to kneel on as he worked. "That swill will rot your brain."

Shunsui snickered. "What, afraid of losing your perfect test scores?" he teased. "Come on, one drink won't hurt." He waved the sake in front of Juushiro, smirking at the way his roommate glared at him. _Yeah, he's totally hot like this. It's a pity he's so straight-laced_. Shunsui had more than a suspicion that any proposition would earn him a punch; he wasn't about to try. _I'll stick to the lovely ladies who actually enjoy my company_. But he couldn't resist teasing his roommate.

Juushiro straightened and pushed Shunsui's hand away. Rearranging the papers on his desk, he replied coolly, "Kyoraku-san, I have homework to do. Please leave me alone."

Rather than obey his roommate's request, Shunsui leaned over Juushiro's shoulder and peered at the neat line of kanji decorating the page. "What are you working on?"

Juushiro heaved an exasperated sigh. "Shiba-sensei requested a report on the advantages and disadvantages of using willow bark to numb pain," he explained curtly, not looking up from his work. "It's due in three days, so I'd appreciate it if you allowed me to work."

"Three days?" Shunsui scoffed. "That's plenty of time. Come on, relax a little." He uncorked the bottle and took another deep drink of the sake. "When was the last time you had fun?" Before Juushiro could answer, he added, "And homework doesn't count as fun." Judging by Juushiro's faintly embarrassed expression, he had been about to say just that. Shunsui grinned. _For a stick-in-the-mud, Ukitake can be pretty entertaining_.

Juushiro waved his hand in front of his face as Shunsui's alcohol-laden breath wafted over him. "Kyoraku…" He trailed off and threw his hands up. "Don't you have to finish your essay for Kichiro-sensei?" he demanded, spinning to face Shunsui.

The flamboyant student grinned delightedly, pleased at finally getting a reaction from his uptight roommate. "Yeah, but it's not due until tomorrow afternoon," he replied cheerfully. "I'll finish it during lunch." So long as he put something relatively legible onto the page, Kichiro-sensei was unlikely to give him zero credit for the paper. _I don't need full marks, just enough to keep passing the class_.

Juushiro opened his mouth to reply with something sarcastic, then shrugged and closed it. "Well, that might work for you, but I prefer to get things done earlier," he told Shunsui calmly. Turning back to his desk, he scribbled another sentence onto the parchment, then began leafing through one of his textbooks.

"Teacher's pet," Shunsui muttered, snagging a pillow and flopping into a cross-legged position at his own desk. "You know, if you got laid more often, you'd realize that there are more important things in life than homework," he commented, taking another gulp of sake.

He had intended to surprise or embarrass his roommate, so he was surprised by the sudden surge of sadness in Juushiro's reiatsu. The white-haired student quickly damped it, muttering, "Yeah, I don't think so." A hint of resignation flavored his spirit energy as he pulled another book from his stack and flipped it open.

Shunsui frowned. "Hey," he began awkwardly. An apology for overstepping boundaries rested on the tip of his tongue, but his lips refused to form the words. "Um…" He trailed off, glancing uncomfortably at his roommate's back. What had caused him to react like that? _Are you okay?_ Those words, too, refused to fall from his mouth.

Juushiro sighed. "Leave it, Kyoraku-san," he said crisply over his shoulder. Shunsui blinked in surprise, and Juushiro chuckled dryly. "Your reiatsu went from playful to surprised and apologetic," he explained wryly. "Seeing as this is the first time I've ever felt that from you, I appreciate it, but in this case you have nothing to apologize for." He put a light stress on the words 'in this case,' and Shunsui chuckled.

"Ouch!" He reached over and ruffled Juushiro's hair, earning himself a grimace from the slender student. "Well, in that case, I won't. You sure you don't want some sake?" He held up the half-empty flask, widening his eyes pleadingly at his roommate.

"If I take a drink, will you let me do my homework in peace?" Juushiro asked sardonically. Shunsui nodded and assumed his best puppy-dog look. Juushiro sighed. "Fine." He accepted the bottle from Shunsui, gingerly taking a small sip. Heat flooded his cheeks, making Shunsui snicker, as he spluttered, "That's horrible!" He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, coughing hoarsely. "How do you drink that?"

Shunsui reclaimed the bottle and drained half of the remaining contents. "Practice," he replied smugly. "See? Isn't it much more fun to lighten up once in a while?" He patted Juushiro on the back as coughing slowed, grinning happily at the flushed student.

"You promised to leave me alone now," Juushiro reminded him, though a hint of a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

Shunsui groaned. "You're so cruel," he complained. Juushiro's smile spread, and Shunsui laughed happily. _I like him much better when he's smiling_. In the interest of keeping that smile around, Shunsui heaved an exaggerated sigh. "Fine, have it your way," he teased. "When you get bored with dusty old books, let me know."

He smirked as Juushiro muttered, "Never gonna happen." _I wouldn't be so sure about that, Ukitake. I'll get you out of that shell sooner or later_. He reluctantly turned back to his own desk, picking up his quill and staring morosely down at the blank piece of parchment. _Unfortunately, it'll have to be later. If I don't finish this essay, I don't know what Kichiro-sensei will do, but it won't be pleasant_.

* * *

Shunsui managed to maintain his newfound work ethic for a little over one bell. In that time, he successfully completed half a page of his essay, scribbled two doodles of an exaggerated female figures in the margins, and spilled ink all over his fingers. Thankfully, none of it landed on his partially-complete essay, but it got everywhere else. Shunsui blistered the air with curses as the ink sank into his skin and spread across his battered desk.

"Language," Juushiro reprimanded reproachfully. Shunsui just growled at him. Juushiro hid a smile and tossed his roommate a worn black square of fabric. "Here, use that to clean up," he suggested. Mollified, Shunsui muttered a thank you and set to mopping up the spill.

Ten minutes later, the worst of the damage was gone from the desk, but his fingers were indelibly stained. Shunsui regarded them mournfully. "Now what am I supposed to do?" he complained. Scrubbing at the ink did nothing but chafe his skin raw; he had already wiped off all of the liquid that he could. "It looks like I have some sort of exotic plague." He made another halfhearted attempt to scour away a blotch on the back of his hand, wincing as the reddened skin protested.

Juushiro chuckled. "Or it looks like you spilled your inkwell," he suggested dryly. Shunsui pretended to glare at him, which did nothing to stifle the pale student's chuckles. "How did you manage that, anyway?" He took the cloth back from Shunsui and tossed it into a hamper of dirty clothes, ignoring the wet ink that stained his fingertips in the process.

Shunsui shrugged in response to Juushiro's question, making a face at the mess on his desk. He wasn't about to tell his roommate that he had been trying to sneak a peek at the girls playing in the courtyard outside, and had accidentally knocked over the inkwell when he stretched a little too far. "I'm not sure," he replied. Juushiro lifted a skeptical eyebrow, and Shunsui hastily held up his essay. "But look what I managed to finish!"

Juushiro took the paper from Shunsui and scanned it, lips twitching. "You misspelled 'hainawa,' and I don't think that Kichiro-sensei will accept 'run away until you find a shinigami patrol' as an acceptable way to deal with a hollow," he pointed out. Handing the paper back to Shunsui, he added, "But it's a good start."

Shunsui accepted the parchment and made a face. "Really? I think running is the best way to deal with hollows. Let more experienced fighters take care of them." He winked at Juushiro, who stared stonily back. "Safer that way; more time for fun things." _Plus, it'll make Kichiro-sensei's head explode, and that's always fun to watch_. There was a fine line between tweaking the tails of the instructors and actively courting punishment, and Shunsui was a master at walking it.

"You know that you'll be a shinigami once you graduate, right?" Juushiro reminded him sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "You can't just leave all the fighting to everyone else." He was too polite to allow disdain to enter his tone, but Shunsui could sense his disapproval.

He rolled his eyes. "I'll leave the fighting to people like you – actual shinigami," he replied. "I don't plan to enter the Gotei 5 after graduation." At Juushiro's startled look, he shrugged. "Don't look so shocked. Can you imagine me in a shinigami uniform?" He grimaced. _Nothing but black, and wearing a sword everywhere, like I'm expecting to be jumped at any second. Days full of paperwork and endless patrols, bound by a hedge of rules every time I turn around. The Academy is bad enough_. A cynical smile stretched across his face. _Besides, Father will be far happier if I spend the rest of my life on the estate, far away from polite society. There are fewer chances to embarrass him there_.

Judging by Juushiro's confused expression, he didn't know how to respond to that. Finally the pale student murmured, "If that's what you want," and turned back to his schoolwork.

 _Even if it's not what I want, it's what will happen_ , Shunsui told him silently. _But there's no point in getting upset about it. Honestly, a life of leisure on the Kyoraku country estate would suit me perfectly_. His family would pay for any number of luxuries so long as he didn't disgrace them or challenge Seiichi's eventual rule of the clan, and he had no plans on doing the latter. _The former, well… that might happen, but I'm not planning anything too terrible at the moment_. Most peccadilloes could be swept under the rug; only marriage to someone unsuitable, murder, or treason would seriously tarnish the family name. _And since I have no intentions of doing any of those, dear old Dad can't complain too loudly_.

Shunsui rose and stretched his arms above his head, wincing as his spine popped. _Damn, I've been sitting still too long_. "I'm going out for a drink," he informed Juushiro. "Want to come?" The mention of alcohol reminded him that he still had a few sips of sake left. He uncorked the flask and drained it, ignoring the tangible disapproval in Juushiro's reiatsu.

"No thanks," the slender student replied without looking up from his paper. "I've still got a lot to do." Unspoken, but not unfelt, was the reminder that Shunsui had just as much work to complete, yet was already heading to the bars.

Shunsui snorted. "Your loss." He began to unselfconsciously strip his dirty uniform, dropping it in a heap next to his cot. _I'll clean that up later_. Clad only in his fundoshi, he rummaged through his clothing trunk for a clean pair of hakama and a kimono, wrinkling his nose at the sparse contents. "Hey, Ukitake, have you seen my red kimono?" he asked, finally finding a pair of hakama at the bottom of the trunk. _I need to tell the maids to do my laundry_.

Juushiro glanced over his shoulder and blushed. Hastily turning his head back to his desk, he gestured towards the coat rack near the door. "I think I saw it over there."

"Thanks." Shunsui spotted a flash of crimson fabric underneath his cloak and grinned triumphantly. "Perfect." He yanked on the hakama and slid his arms through the kimono, leaving it hanging open to display his muscular chest. A dark silver obi secured it to his waist, and a pair of expensive blue hair pins completed the ensemble. Turning to Juushiro, he grinned, and asked, "How do I look?"

His roommate sighed with exasperation. "Like you're trawling for girls," he told Shunsui dryly.

"I'll take it," Shunsui responded gaily. "So long as they aren't scared away by my dashing good looks and evident charm, I'm happy."

"There's no fear of that," Juushiro muttered under his breath.

Shunsui paused for a second, then burst out laughing. "So you do have a sense of humor!" he crowed, laughing harder as Juushiro's cheeks turned pink. _And damn, I need to make you blush more often, that's hot_. "Come on, are you absolutely, positively sure that you don't want to come?" He winked suggestively at his roommate. "We could find you a hot chick to pick up, help you loosen up a bit. Or would you prefer a cute guy? Either is possible."

Juushiro's face resembled a tomato as he choked out, "Just go, Kyoraku."

Shunsui frowned when he noticed that the odd thread of sadness was back in Juushiro's reiatsu. It was so faint underneath the embarrassment that he would have thought that he was imagining it, except for the trace of sorrow in the pale student's eyes as well. _Did he recently lose a lover? That might explain it_. His roommate had made no mention of a paramour, but few people would voluntarily discuss a nasty breakup with someone they didn't know too well. _And, if I'm honest, I've given him no reason to tell me something that personal_. Shunsui shrugged. "You know, a quick fling can be really good for you, help you get over stuff," he suggested. "It doesn't have to be anything serious."

To his surprise, a threat of wry amusement entered Juushiro's reiatsu. The color in his cheeks started to die down as he muttered, "I really don't think that would help." He gave Shunsui a sardonic smile. "Thanks for the offer, but I really should finish this essay." He toyed with his quill pen, not quite meeting Shunsui's eyes, before flipping to a new page in his book.

"Life is way more fun if you remove that stick from your ass," Shunsui teased. Juushiro's flush returned full force at the crudity, and Shunsui chuckled. He could have said any number of other things, but suspected that those would be overstepping a boundary. _This is the first time we've said more than a few sentences to each other; I'd like to keep it civil_. So, rather than follow up on the obvious invitation for innuendo, he simply bid Juushiro farewell and slipped out the door.

* * *

A bell later, he had forgotten all about Juushiro's odd reaction to his offer. "Sweetheart, more sake?" he called across the crowded bar, flashing a grin at the waitress in the tight kimono. She nodded back and started weaving her way through the crowd, hoisting the jug of clear alcohol above her head. Shunsui grinned appreciatively. The kimono displayed her long legs with every step she took, parting nearly to mid-thigh. She had tied it loose enough to leave a vee in front, which highlighted her ample cleavage. Judging by her saucy grin, she reveled in the attention that the getup drew. _Perfect_.

"I think she likes you!" Ryuu yelled over the din, smacking Shunsui in the shoulder. "Go get her!" The playful, chubby student slurred as he spoke, already four drinks deep into the jug of sake on the table.

Hikaru snorted. "She's paid to flirt with the customers; she's not a whore," he told Ryuu loudly. The sandy-haired teen's face was flushed, but his words remained clear. Shunsui thought that he'd only had three drinks so far, but his counting was a bit fuzzy after four shots of sake plus a beer. His head spun pleasantly as he gazed around the crowded tavern, which was packed with Academy students and lower-ranked shinigami. Several members of the Shiba clan sang a bawdy drinking song while pawing at the giggling girls perched on their laps – hired company, Shunsui suspected. A knot of off-duty shinigami who wore the emblem of the Shihoin clan's division argued loudly about something that Shunsui couldn't make out, while a group of sixth year students debated the proper application of the law in assault cases in slurred tones. The scents of alcohol, perfume, and unwashed bodies hung heavily in the air.

The waitress sauntered over and gave them all a wide smile. "What can I do for you boys?" she asked, leaning over their low table. Shunsui's eyes immediately landed in her cleavage, and he smirked. She had tied her kimono just tight enough to conceal the most appealing parts of her breasts, but the sight still made his mouth water. Hikaru snickered at Shunsui's expression, while Ryuu seemed torn between staring at the girl's chest and looking anywhere but there. A dull blush stained his cheeks, though Shunsui suspected that part of the color was due to the alcohol.

When none of them replied immediately, the waitress laughed. "You can't that drunk yet," she teased, propping her hand on her hip and posing. "It's not a hard question."

Shunsui tore his eyes away from her chest and grinned. "Well, we'd like some more sake, but I'd also love your name," he replied boldly. Had he been more sober, he might have been embarrassed by his inability to keep his eyes away from her chest, but the sake had wiped away any inhibitions he might have held.

She giggled. "I can give you the former, but what will you give me for the latter?" she challenged flirtatiously. Shunsui cocked his head to the side, pondering her question, as she leaned over them to refill their jug of sake. Her breasts brushed his arm as she pulled back, and his grin widened.

"How about a kiss?" he suggested, leaning back against the wall and giving her a mischievous look. "I promise you won't regret it." Ryuu burst out laughing at that, while Hikaru shook his head in amusement.

To his relief, she didn't throw the remaining sake in his face. Instead, she tapped her fingers against her berry-red lips, and purred, "I don't think that's an equitable trade, my lord. How about you give me your name, instead?"

Shunsui chuckled. "Fair enough." He rose and swept a graceful bow, as though greeting a lady of the highest noble stature. As he finished the bow, he captured her hand and pressed his lips to the back of it. She giggled, and he declared, "My name is Shunsui Kyoraku, my lady. And you are?" He smirked, and added, "Besides stunningly beautiful, which should be obvious to any observer." Since she didn't immediately reclaim her hand, he caressed her palm with his thumb, looking at her expectantly.

The waitress laughed, finally pulling her hand back. "My, Kyoraku-san, how chivalrous! Please, call me Aimi." She didn't give a family name, but that didn't surprise Shunsui. Many of the souls in the Soul Society lacked one; only those born to noble families were guaranteed to have one. Some of the poorer residents adopted last names to signify clan affiliation or to solidify bonds among their chosen families, but it wasn't a requirement.

Shunsui bowed again, shallower this time. "Aimi. It suits you." The name meant 'love beauty.' He offered her a hand. "Now may I have that kiss?" he asked impishly.

Aimi lifted an eyebrow, studying his face with limpid amber eyes. "Isn't that a bit forward of you, my lord?" she teased. "After all, you hardly know me."

Shunsui nodded. "True, true. So how about you sit down and tell me about yourself?" he suggested cheerfully. He wasn't surprised by her refusal; he'd met very few girls who took him up on his first offer. Aimi hadn't rejected him outright, so the game was still on. _A drink or two, and I bet she'll be willing to do much more than kiss_. Shunsui wrinkled his brow. _And I think I've still got a few pretty trinkets back in the dorms that would look lovely on her, if she's interested_. He didn't bribe girls to sleep with him – he prided himself on the fact that he didn't need to – but he liked to reward them afterwards.

Aimi giggled again, toying with her jug of sake. "I'm still working, my lord," she replied, fluttering her eyelashes at him. "But I'd be happy to stop by often… to make sure you don't need anything more, of course."

"Of course," Shunsui replied smoothly. As she turned to go, he laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "When do you get off work?" He'd gladly wait a bell or two to enjoy her company. _Maybe, if I'm lucky, I can persuade her to come back to my room with me_.

She gave him a flirtatious smile. "Give me a bell, my lord, and I'll gladly join you," she purred. "Maybe you'll even get that kiss, if you ask nicely enough."

Shunsui grinned. "I'm looking forward to it, milady," he promised, taking her hand in his and giving it another kiss. She returned his grin as she sauntered away, hips swinging. He watched her go, mouth dry with anticipation. _Damn, I really hope she's willing to do more than just flirt_.

"Kami, Kyoraku, nice job!" Ryuu exclaimed, patting him on the back.

Shunsui smirked as he resumed his seat, pouring more sake into his dish. "The deal's not sealed yet, Hibiki," he reminded the other student. Taking a sip of the sake, he paused to savor its unique burn, then winked at Ryuu. "But I think I've got a pretty good shot."

Hikaru chuckled ruefully. "I don't think I've ever gone out drinking with you and not seen you pick up a girl or two," he commented wryly.

Shunsui widened his eyes in an attempt to look innocent. The pretense was spoiled when he nearly spilled his sake into his lap, but he gave it his best shot. "That's not true," he protested, laying his hand against his heart. "Why, I can think of at least three times when I didn't leave the tavern with a girl."

Hikaru rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right. When?"

Before Shunsui could respond, Ryuu interjected, "It doesn't count if you found a pretty boy instead, you know." He tried to nudge Shunsui with his shoulder, missed, and ended up sprawled across the table. Picking himself back up, he added, "Not that there's anything wrong with finding a hot guy to bend for you, if that's your pref… pref… preference." He stumbled over the last word, grinning foolishly as he finally managed to get it out.

"Hibiki, I think you've had enough to drink for now," Hikaru pointed out, gently taking Ryuu's dish of sake away from him. Ryuu pouted, but didn't protest when Hikaru gave him a glass of water instead. Shunsui chuckled and patted him on the back, murmuring commiseratingly to him when Hikaru turned away.

Aimi returned several times over the next bell, flirting openly with Shunsui and teasing Ryuu for his inability to hold his liquor, before finally joining them at the table. Shunsui passed her a dish of sake and tentatively laid a hand on her leg; she laughed and leaned into him. He grinned. "So, Aimi, what's your favorite color?" he asked playfully.

"Red," she answered decidedly, running her fingers over his arm. "Just like this."

"Oh, really?" Shunsui bantered back. "I think you'd look gorgeous in scarlet." He tugged off his kimono and draped it around her shoulders, pretending to ponder the result. "Yep, gorgeous," he nodded. Then he winked at her. "Then again, you'd look lovely in anything."

Hikaru rolled his eyes. "I'm going to take Hibiki back before he passes out on the table," he announced dryly. "Do try to avoid getting into too much trouble, alright, Kyoraku?" As Shunsui nodded absently, Hikaru slung Ryuu's arm over his shoulders and hauled him upright. The black-haired student swayed dizzily on his feet as Hikaru led him through the thinning crowds, giving Shunsui a good-luck sign over his shoulder.

Shunsui watched them leave, then turned back to Aimi. "Now, where were we?"

* * *

As Shunsui had hoped, they eventually ended up at the dorms. Everything was going smoothly, until a certain trick with his tongue made Aimi practically scream in pleasure. Juushiro bolted upright in his cot, one hand groping for a sword while the other flared with kido fire. "What the hell is going on?" he yelped. Aimi froze.

"Oops." Shunsui grinned unrepentantly up at his roommate, who was glaring at them with death in his sleepy emerald eyes. "Sorry, Ukitake," he apologized cheerfully, pulling a sheet over himself and Aimi. "Didn't mean to wake you." Though admittedly, he hadn't been putting much effort into being quiet either.

"Kyoraku, you are hopeless," Juushiro informed him frostily. He rose from his futon and snagged a simple yukata from on top of his clothes chest. Shunsui pouted as Juushiro wrapped the robe around himself – he had been admiring the view. Juushiro's expression got even colder. "I will be at the library," he bit out, stalking towards the door. "I expect you to be done in a bell." With that, he slid the door open with more force than necessary and vanished into the hallway.

Shunsui smirked. "Sorry about that," he told Aimi, rolling so that she straddled him. She giggled, and he purred, "Now, shall we continue?"

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Lovely readers, what is your preferred update schedule? How often and when during a week do you prefer to receive updates?


	3. Lessons in Respect

**Chapter 3: Lessons in Respect  
**

That incident, along with several others, did nothing to change Juushiro's opinion of Shunsui. Every time he would start to think that his roommate wasn't so bad after all, he'd pull another stunt like that. After the third time Juushiro walked in on Shunsui and a companion in various stages of undress, he began to spend all of his time in a nook in the library. Taro often joined him, working late into the night on lengthy essays covering obscure topics. Juushiro had thought that the third-year curriculum was difficult, but it was a cakewalk compared to the weighty load now pressing down on his shoulders. Their days were crammed with practical classes – mornings began with two bells of hakuda practice, followed by another two bells of zanjutsu, while the afternoon contained classes on kido, shunpo, and survival. Juushiro was also taking classes on leadership, healing, and diplomacy; Taro joined him for the latter two, but had chosen to take history instead of leadership.

Juushiro suspected that Taro had made the better choice. The leadership class was taught by Fukui-sensei, a sour old man from one of the Five Noble Houses who resented the presence of a 'jumped-up commoner' in his class. The other students took their tone from him, treating Juushiro with a mixture of condescension and pity. Though he tried to keep his head down and maintain a low profile, he couldn't completely mitigate their scorn.

It didn't help that he got better grades than most of them. Fukui-sensei might have disliked him, but the old man was scrupulously fair. He could have easily favored the nobles from more powerful clans – both the Shiba clan and the Omaeda clan had sons in the class – but he refused to play favorites. That engendered more resentment from the spoiled young nobles, who had been accustomed to preferential treatment their entire lives.

 _You'd think they would have gotten over that by now_ , Juushiro thought wryly as he scribbled down the tenets for effective leadership on the battlefield. _None of the other senseis will give them much favor, either_. Headmaster Yamamoto had deliberately chosen teachers who could avoid the appearance of favoritism, though Juushiro suspected that some of it still occurred. _If so, at least it's out of sight_. The possibility didn't bother him much; it was all part of the game. Noble society would fall apart without the complex web of obligations, favors, and debts that formed the basis of every social interaction and trade negotiation. Even marriages were decided based on the intricate dance of status and duty.

 _Maybe that's why they don't like me_ , Juushiro mused cynically, tapping the end of his quill against the parchment. _I don't play their games_. He found the constant jockeying for power foolish at best and actively destructive at worst. _Let them grasp at every crumb of status they can find; I'm happy where I am, thank you_. His low birth had a few advantages. They didn't expect him to take part in the power struggles, and thus didn't see him as a threat. _I'll take pity and condescension over active hostility any day of the week_. Muttered slurs and sidelong glances were easy enough to ignore; duel challenges and assassination attempts were not.

Not that either were permitted at the Academy. If a student believed that a slight to their honor required reparation in the form of a duel, they had to bring their grievance to a teacher first. If the instructor believed that the case had merit, they could ask a panel of impartial adjudicators to evaluate the situation. Only then, if the panel decided that a duel was the most suitable way to address the grievance, would a challenge be allowed. The entire cumbersome, unwieldy process could take months, and the teachers had a vested interest in preventing as many duels as possible. Students told stories about famous challenges that had occurred in the past, but Juushiro had never met anyone who had seen an honor duel among students with their own eyes.

Assassination, of course, was strictly forbidden under all circumstances.

In theory, assassination was forbidden to nobles outside of the Academy, as well, but that rule wasn't always followed in practice. Juushiro could never understand how paying someone to surreptitiously slip poison into an opponent's drink could be considered honorable, but it did happen. Not often, thankfully, and more often than not the perpetrator was hunted down and severely punished, but that didn't deter everyone.

 _It probably doesn't help that they never publicly punish the person who hired the thug, just the person who actually did the deed_. The nobles could wash their hands of the whole affair, pretending to be squeaky clean while their hired killer faced the gallows. Juushiro wasn't sure that they even bothered to question the supposed murders once they caught them. The heir-apparent to the Omaeda clan had been poisoned several years ago, and the clan had pinned the job on the cook who served him the fateful dish. He had been declared guilty and executed only a few bells after the heir breathed his last; he had apparently been in the middle of chopping vegetables when they arrested him. Juushiro didn't know much about criminals, but he suspected that a would-be assassin would flee the scene as soon as he completed the murder, not remain to cook dinner.

Then again, he knew very little about the shady side of the law. He had heard whispers that, if you went to the right bar in the Rukongai at the right time, and knew the right pass phrases, you could hire a specialist in any kind of dirty deed you could imagine, yet no one seemed to know which bar or what time. Older students liked to tell new students that the most feared thief and assassin of them all, a man named Whisper, would come and get them if they didn't behave – where 'behave' typically meant 'obey the older students.' The students had a name and a host of bloodcurdling stories, but no real information. Juushiro had classified their tales under the same category as the stories about the monsters in the forest that his mother used to tell him when he was very little – entertaining and completely divorced from reality.

Unfortunately, many of the younger students were more gullible. Furor had erupted in Juushiro's first year when one of his classmates had found an origami flower on her cot and hysterically declared that she was never sleeping again. Juushiro bit back a dry sigh at the memory. His classmates had informed him soberly that Whisper would leave an origami flower in your room if you were his next target, and the only person who could call him off was his current employer, so the girl was in a lot of trouble. _Of course, it turned out that it was all a prank played by her older cousin_.

Such incidents were fairly common among the students. The instructors turned their backs on a certain level of hazing, though anyone who exceeded those bounds would be swiftly brought to heel. But they didn't care about petty pranks like stolen inkwells, threatening notes, or wrecked rooms. Juushiro had quickly perfected a kido shield to keep other students out of his things – he'd been on the receiving end of more than his fair share of trouble.

 _I guess that's one good thing about living with Kyoraku_ , he admitted reluctantly. _Few students would dare to mess with the son of the Kyoraku family, even peripherally_. The children of lesser nobles always received the worst treatment, while the more powerful families were left alone.

Juushiro grimaced. _Then again, I think he more than makes up for that_. Juushiro would gladly trade occasional harassment for the ability to get a full night's sleep. _It's not like the hazing really continued past the first year, anyway_. The older students grew bored with targets who wouldn't fight back, and Juushiro's kido shields could stymie almost everything they tried. By the end of his first year at the Academy, the bullies had given up on everything but the occasional shove or dirty look. Even those had practically vanished as Juushiro's willingness to lend a helping hand to his classmates earned him powerful friends.

Juushiro smiled to himself, absently noting down Fukui-sensei's latest comment about the necessity of proving oneself to one's generals. _I never thought I'd be in a group with children from the Kannogi, Kuchiki, and Kyoraku families, much less friends with Taro Kannogi and rooming with Shunsui Kyoraku_. No matter how annoying the latter situation was.

"Shiba-san. Can you explain how your great-grandfather used effective tactics during the Battle of Kinkaku?" Fukui-sensei's sharp question startled the class from their doze.

Gorou Shiba, a burly sixth-year, bolted upright. "Um, yes, sensei. He…" He hesitated. Fukui-sensei lifted an eyebrow, and Gorou blurted, "He chose good generals and listened to them when they said that crossing the river was foolhardy, that it would be better to wait for the enemy to come to them."

Fukui-sensei's forbidding expression relaxed. "A correct, albeit simplistic, explanation. For your homework, I want ten inches from each of you on the tactics used during the Battle of Kinkaku, and how those relate to the principles of battlefield leadership that we've been discussing." The class stifled a groan as their sensei nodded curtly. "Dismissed."

 _Great_ , Juushiro sighed as he made his way through the students thronging the halls. _Add that to the essay Shihoin-sensei wants about the invention of Shakkaho, as well as the paper due tomorrow on the use of medicinal herbs in the Fushimi Province, and I'll be up all night… again_. Sleepless nights were becoming an all-too-common occurrence. _I think the senseis have forgotten they're not the only teacher giving us homework_ , he grumbled, weaving through the crowd to reach the door out of the building. _At least some of it's interesting_.

Shihoin-sensei's assignment on the origin of Shakkaho, for instance, fascinated Juushiro. The fiery kido, incredibly popular among the shinigami, had been the first flame-based kido to be invented. The original caster's name had been lost to legend, and most of his research notes had been destroyed in the conflagration that claimed his life, but a few scorched remnants had been salvaged from the wreckage. They had eventually come to rest in the Academy's library, where Juushiro had dug them up. He had the sneaking suspicion that even Shihoin-sensei didn't know that they still existed, for she had made no mention of them in class. Instead, she had referred them to a dusty old tome composed by a historian focusing on the lives and inventions of famous kido masters, which had included a chapter on the mysterious creator of Shakkaho.

 _You know, I bet that Shihoin-sensei would love to find out that a few of those original notes still exist_ , Juushiro decided, abruptly changing course. _I know she has class soon, but she should be in her office right now_. He trotted across the lawn, making a beeline for the low building that housed the offices of the instructors and squad leaders. "Excuse me, is Shihoin-sensei here?" he asked breathlessly, smiling at the brunette girl working the front desk.

She nodded. "But I think she's leaving soon," she warned.

"Alright, thanks for letting me know," Juushiro replied, hurrying up the hallway. "This won't take long." She laughed and waved a hand at his retreating back. Ordinarily, the people at the front desk would need to verify that a visitor was either a student or a permitted guest – not everyone was allowed to wander around the building. But Juushiro had made friends with most of the secretaries during his first year, when he had attended almost every help session that his senseis had held. By now, they rarely questioned his presence.

Juushiro could feel Shihoin-sensei's reiatsu from two hallways away, seething with restrained frustration. The sensation only grew stronger as he neared her office, and he bit his lip. _Maybe I'll come back later_ , he decided, hesitating outside her door. _It doesn't feel like she's in the mood for visitors_.

Before he could leave, however, the door slid open. "Come in, Ukitake-san," Shihoin-sensei sighed, yanking her spirit energy under control. He blinked in shock, and she rolled her eyes. "Don't just stand there, come on in." She led him into her office, sliding the door shut behind them. "So, what are you here for?"

Juushiro knelt in front of her desk and politely bowed his head. "When I was searching the archives, I discovered a few fragments of research notes that I believe belonged to the inventor of Shakkaho, and I thought you might be interested," he told her softly.

Shock radiated through her reiatsu as she stiffened. "Are you sure?" she demanded. She tossed her violet hair over her shoulder, leaning forward and propping her elbows on her knees as she gave Juushiro her full attention. The irritated waves in her reiatsu smoothed and sank back into her skin, replaced by avid curiosity.

Juushiro shrugged awkwardly. "Not completely certain, no, but I'm fairly positive that I'm right. The fragments are smoke-stained and ancient, easily old enough to be from around the right time. They're in an older dialect, so it's hard to understand them, but they're definitely describing the process of inventing a flame-based kido."

A spark lit in his sensei's emerald eyes. "If you're right about the age, these notes are an incredible find. Even if they don't describe Shakkaho, the process of creating a flame kido, in that era, would be fascinating to read." She paused, tapping her lips with one lacquered nail. "In fact, it might be better if they're about a different kido." Juushiro tipped his head to one side in puzzlement and she flashed him a grin. "Think about it. We know the origin of most of our current kido spells; if they don't describe Shakkaho, they probably describe a totally unknown spell." Her grin broadened as the possibilities raced through her mind. Any trace of frustration in her spirit energy had been subsumed by excitement.

Juushiro felt a similar smile stretch across his face as he, too, contemplated the possible scenarios. "That… would be amazing," he said slowly. New kidos required decades of experimentation to perfect, and only a handful of shinigami possessed the ability to complete the experiments safely. There hadn't been a new discovery in nearly a hundred years. _If this truly is an unknown kido, it'd be remarkable_. Even if that wasn't the case, the notes could still explain how the first fire kido came into existence, which would be a priceless piece of knowledge.

The insistent chiming of the bell brought both of them out of their musings. Shihoin-sensei bit back a curse, wrinkling her nose as the notes rang through the halls. "I've got class," she informed him, rising and smoothing out nonexistent wrinkles in her expensive kimono – the fabric alone could feed a village for a month. "But I want to talk to you about this more." She grabbed a sheathed wakizashi from its stand near the desk, sliding through her sash in a smooth, practiced motion. "Can you make it to my next help session?"

Juushiro rose and bowed his head. "Yes, sensei; that won't be a problem." He would miss part of lunch, but that didn't bother him. He usually took the food back to his room so he could work on homework while eating; he wouldn't be missing anything but extra study time.

She grinned cheerfully at him. "Lovely!" The tolling of the bell died away as she strode out of the office, Juushiro a step behind her. _She's probably supposed to be teaching right now_ , he realized ruefully, _but she doesn't seem to care too much_. Then again, any kido master would walk through fire to get their hands on original research of this magnitude; a few minutes of tardiness was a small price to pay. _She can get away with it, anyway_ , he told himself. Students were not allowed that much leeway, but thankfully his next class wasn't for another bell.

Just before their paths parted, Shihoin-sensei fixed Juushiro with an unreadable stare. "Your family is not wealthy, correct?" she demanded. He shook his head, a faint blush staining his cheeks pink with embarrassment at hearing it put so baldly. But she didn't react with pity or condescension. Instead, she nodded slowly. "You're a bright student," she told him, making his eyes widen. "You enjoy kido, don't you?"

"Yes, sensei," he replied politely, searching her face for any clues as to what was going on.

An unexpected smile danced across her lips. "Good. If you're interested in a job, my research group could use a talented assistant like you. Our last one graduated last spring, and I haven't found a replacement yet."

Only long habit kept Juushiro's mouth from dropping open in shock. "Assistant?" he asked slowly, stunned.

She waved a hand dismissively. "Assistant, gopher, apprentice, whatever you want to call it. You'll learn the basics of kido research and refinement by helping with the current projects, and you'll even get paid for it." His face must have shown his incomprehension, for her eyes danced with amusement. "It's not much," she warned, "but it should come in handy for you." Juushiro couldn't argue with that.

"I'd be honored," he managed, giving her a low bow.

She rolled her eyes. "No need for that. Now, I need to get to class, but we'll discuss this more at my help session." As she hurried across the lawn, she called back over her shoulder, "Bring the fragments with you when you come!"

Juushiro couldn't think of a reply until she rounded the corner of the nearest building and disappeared from sight. A jumble of emotions, ranging from elation to trepidation, swirled within him. A job as a research assistant… it seemed like something out a fairy tale. Fourth-year students never got opportunities like that, no matter how skilled or dedicated. Kido research was something that experts did, not students – did he even have the knowledge to be useful? Clearly he must, or Shihoin-sensei wouldn't have made the offer, but the preposterousness of the idea made him feel like he'd been hit over the head.

Then the import of the sensei's parting words struck him, and he groaned. _How am I supposed to get the fragments from the archives?_

* * *

After a bit of deliberation, Juushiro decided that hand-copying the scraps would be the best way to bring Shihoin-sensei the information. The archive master would eviscerate him if he took the fragments out of the library without permission, and only Headmaster Yamamoto could give that permission. Shihoin-sensei's next help session was the day after tomorrow; it was unlikely that he could get the requisite permission by then. But that wasn't necessarily an insurmountable obstacle. _If she wants to see the originals, we can visit the archives_ , he decided, strolling across the lawn. _But a clean copy should be good enough to figure out what the scraps are talking about_.

Juushiro paused to soak in the early fall sunlight, savoring the crisp air. A few leaves bore an orange tint, hinting at the approaching cold, but the majority of the foliage remained verdant for now.

He wasn't the only one taking advantage of the good weather. Students dotted the lawn in groups of two or three, chattering and laughing as they poured over their notes. Others strolled down the gravel paths or lounged against the sides of the buildings, calling greetings to friends as they passed. One trio practiced strikes with wooden bokken; another quartet threw off sparks as they struggled to master a low level kido. _They'd better not set the grass on fire_ , Juushiro thought with amusement as smoke billowed up from one lanky student's fingertips. _There's a reason why the instructors prefer us to train in the kido practice grounds_.

Thankfully, the young man damped the blaze after a second. Juushiro smiled as they joked over the near miss before meandering away to a safer area, still ragging their friend for his clumsiness. The obvious camaraderie among the boys, who Juushiro judged to be in their first or second year, was a far cry from the wary hostility that had characterized his first year. _I wonder… If I had made friends like that, would I have worked as hard to master kido and zanjutsu?_ He had poured every drop of his energy into his studies, determined to prove that he belonged. Without the distractions of a social life, he'd had plenty of time to perfect every detail.

Juushiro shook his head ruefully, dismissing the question. _I've got friends now_ , he told himself firmly. _Besides, I'm perfectly happy with my life_. A grin spread across his face as he contemplated Shihoin-sensei's offer. _I wouldn't trade that for anything_. He stretched leisurely before resuming his walk towards the library. _Kido research, access to a full-fledged kido lab, plus I'll be getting paid for it… I really can't imagine anything better_.

"You know, you'd look really pretty if you smiled more. " Juushiro rolled his eyes as the unctuous line hit his ears. It sounded like Gorou Shiba was trying to pick up another girl; he had a bit of a reputation as a heartbreaker. His position within the Shiba clan assured him of no shortage of female attention, and he took full advantage of it. _Much like Kyoraku, actually_. Juushiro wrinkled his nose. _I honestly can't understand what they get out of it_. He glanced over at Gorou, who stood in a cluster with two of his cronies near the wall of one of the dormitories. The muscular sixth year preened as he stood in a way calculated to best display his physique. Juushiro couldn't see the target of his attentions, but only a girl could make him behave like that.

A faint soprano response drifted on the wind, quickly followed by Gorou's chuckles. "Such a lovely girl like you should be bedecked in silk, not… this." Juushiro rolled his eyes and quickened his pace, unwilling to watch the uncomfortable spectacle. Then a brief flare of fear from the group, quickly stifled, caught his attention. He glanced over to see that the circle had tightened. Gorou leaned casually against the wall, one hand resting on the shoulder of a young girl dressed in the neat uniform of the Academy's servants. A smile adorned her lips, but it looked forced to Juushiro's eyes.

Her response to Gorou's comment was inaudible, but Gorou's reply wasn't. Nudging his friend, he chuckled, "Now, that's not true at all." The friend laughed as well, provoking a round of chuckles from the group. Gorou ran his fingers down the girl's arm, and she giggled awkwardly.

Juushiro's eyes narrowed. Something didn't feel right about the scene in front of him. Maybe it was the way the girl's smile didn't reach her eyes; maybe it was the way Gorou stood a bit too close to her. Juushiro couldn't pinpoint it, but something was triggering his sense of unease. But no one else seemed to see anything wrong. The students scattered across the lawn chatted with their friends, oblivious to the group of sixth years; even the passerby barely gave them a second glance. Juushiro frowned. _Am I just being paranoid?_ He couldn't deny that he disliked Gorou – the older student's careless, entitled attitude rubbed him the wrong way. _Am I letting my emotions color my perception of the scene?_

Surveying the scene again, Juushiro shook his head firmly. _No. Something definitely smells fishy here_. The girl only possessed a drab of reiatsu, making it difficult to get a sense of her emotions, but the little that he could pick up was worrisome. Despite her cheerful façade, her reiatsu swirled with trepidation and wariness. Gorou's spirit energy, on the other hand, was full of confidence, mingled with raw physical lust and smug arrogance. Juushiro grimaced. That blend of emotions was exactly what he couldn't stand in Gorou, or in Shunsui for that matter.

"Oh, don't be such a prude," Gorou reprimanded playfully, toying with a tendril of the girl's long hair. Her shoulder blades pressed against the wall of the dormitory as she shrank away from him, fixed smile still firmly plastered to her face. Gorou smirked. "You know who my family is, right? Well, did you know we're soon going to be the most powerful family of them all?" He leaned close to the girl, whispering the last bit as though it was a secret.

As the girl cringed, Juushiro decided that enough was enough. "Hey, Shiba-san," he called, striding over to the group. "Do you have a minute? I've got a couple questions about the assignment for Fukui-sensei, and I know that you're the perfect person to ask." It wasn't quite a lie. If Gorou knew anything more about his great-grandfather's actions during the Battle of Kinkaku, he could be a font of information. _But somehow I suspect that I'll get much more useful information from the chronicles of the time_. Still, Juushiro hoped that flattering the older student would sufficiently ameliorate his annoyance at being interrupted.

Gorou frowned at him as he bowed politely to the trio. "Now is not a good time, Ukitake," he said coolly. Waving a hand dismissively, he ordered, "Find me tomorrow and I might have time to help you." With that, he turned back to the girl, clearly assuming that the conversation was over.

Juushiro gritted his teeth at Gorou's condescending tone, but allowed none of his frustration to enter his tone as he bowed again. "Hai, Shiba-san, thank you." It was tempting to leave it there, accept the obvious dismissal and depart, but Juushiro couldn't ignore the resigned misery in the girl's eyes. _Come on, give me an opening_ , he urged her silently. He couldn't linger much longer; one of Gorou's friends was already eying him suspiciously. All of the young men in the group were of much higher status than Juushiro, and several had been quite vocal about their disdain for his low birth and frailty. _If I hang around for too long, one of them is sure to say something insulting, and I don't really want to deal with a verbal sparring match_. Juushiro grimaced. _Then again, it'd get their attention off of her, at least_.

The girl flinched as Gorou rested his hand proprietorially on her shoulder, and Juushiro's lips thinned. His temper rose higher as Gorou murmured, "Come on, let's go somewhere more… private." His friends smirked and nudged each other, snickering, as Gorou ran his fingers down the girl's arm. The sixth year's reiatsu hummed with anticipation and arousal; it was a combination Juushiro was thoroughly sick of after weeks of feeling it permeate the room he shared with Shunsui.

A furious blush stained the servant girl's cheeks, and she ducked her head. "Thank you for your kind offer, milord, but I'm afraid that I need to get home," she whispered, nearly inaudible.

Gorou frowned. "You do know who this is, right?" one of his friends asked incredulously. "He's an heir to the Shiba clan!" The girl tensed, reiatsu sparking with alarm.

Gorou's frown dissolved into a smirk, and he slung an arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry, I don't bite," he reassured her, before sharing a chuckle with his friends. "Much, at any rate." He pulled her closer to his side, oblivious to her reluctance.

 _Alright, that's enough_ , Juushiro snarled mentally. He stepped into Gorou's path and raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me, Shiba-san, but I believe she said that she needs to go home," he pointed out carefully.

Though he had deliberately kept his tone polite and formal, Gorou glared at him. "Get out of my way, Ukitake," he ordered, ice dripping from his words. "It's none of your business." He took a step forward, dragging the girl with him. "Now move."

Juushiro held his ground, shifting his feet into a more balanced stance as replied, "I'm sorry, Shiba-san, but I think you should let her go home now." He flicked a reassuring glance at the girl; she responded with bewilderment. Juushiro's heart ached at the weariness in her spirit energy. _This probably isn't the first time she's dealt with unwanted advances_. Her heart-shaped face and delicate curves, visible even under her shapeless uniform, must have attracted a number of suitors.

Gorou's eyes narrowed. "I don't like your tone, Ukitake," he bit out coldly. "Have you forgotten your place here?" His reiatsu rose higher, fanned by his temper, and he took another step forward. Barely a foot separated the two students now. Gorou still clutched the girl to his side, but all of his attention was focused on Juushiro.

"You're only here because Yamamoto-sensei took pity on you and your family," one of Gorou's friends reminded him, malicious glee in his tone.

"He's too poor and too sickly to be here otherwise," the other chimed in, smirking superciliously at Juushiro.

The pale student sighed heavily. _Is that the best you can come up with?_ Three years of intermittent teasing had inured him to such petty taunts. _If you're going to insult me, you might want to get more creative. I think I've already proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that I belong here_.

While he wasn't foolish enough to say that out loud, his lack of concern must have shown on his face, for Gorou growled, "So you think you're better than us now, do you?" He released the girl and shoved Juushiro with both hands. The slender student twisted to the side, mitigating much of the force of the blow, while the girl scrambled to get out of the way. One of Gorou's friends leaned casually against the wall next to her, an amused smile playing about his lips as he studied the impending conflict, and she froze. _Get out of here!_ Juushiro urged her silently, but she remained motionless. The white haired student cursed her adherence to social mores as he stepped in front of her, staring steadily at Gorou. The older student spat on the ground between them. "Just go away, Ukitake," he drawled, propping his hands on his hips. "She wants to come with me. Isn't that right?"

The girl flushed scarlet as Gorou turned a confident gaze on her. "Um… yes, sir," she mumbled awkwardly.

The muscular sixth year smirked. "See?" He sidestepped Juushiro and grabbed the girl's arm. She winced in pain, but he didn't notice. "Now get out of my way, before I have the headmaster whip you for insolence." He thrust out a palm imbued with reiatsu, knocking Juushiro back several steps.

The younger student instinctively flared his own spirit energy to cushion the blow, raising his hands defensively. "No."

An ugly grin spread over Gorou's face as he took in Juushiro's new stance. "So that's how it's gonna be, huh?" Barking a humorless laugh, he snarled, "I think it's time someone taught you a lesson about respect."


	4. Layers of Nobility

**Chapter 4: Layers of Nobility**

"Damn sensei, lecturing me about respecting the Academy," Shunsui grumbled, slamming the door shut with a bang. "Who does he think he is?" Shunsui knew it was a stupid question, but it still served as a good release for the resentment simmering in his veins. _I already know that I'm a disappointment and a failure; you don't need to rub it in_. He rolled his eyes. _And if lecturing me on proper behavior would get me to turn my assignments in on time, I'd be a better student than Ukitake_.

Shunsui flopped back on his cot, staring at the dull white ceiling. He was tempted to go find a drink somewhere, but it was only midafternoon; he was supposed to be in the intermediate kido class right now. _Shihoin-sensei will be disappointed in me again_ , he thought without much worry. The elegant heir-in-waiting to the Shihoin clan had a way of making a student feel guilty for slacking that no other teacher could match. But Shunsui had grown up with his mother's guilt trips whenever he made a mistake, and he had made plenty of mistakes. So Shihoin-sensei's disappointed looks slid off of the façade of indifference he perpetually maintained.

 _You know, Mariko should be done with her shift at the office by now_ , he realized, swinging his legs off of the bed. _And there's that new play down at the Cockatrice. I wonder if she'd be interested?_ He bounced off of the cot, grinning. The buxom brunette always knew where to go to have a good time; her family controlled most of the entertainment in the Seireitei. Noble, of course, like the family of every other student here, but not high status. Shunsui smirked. _If only dear old Dad could see me now. He'd have a heart attack_. Though that would leave the family to his brother Seiichi. _Which probably means I'd be disinherited as soon as the ink dried on the funeral papers_ , Shunsui thought wryly. _So maybe it's best if Father doesn't die quite yet_.

He bit his lip. He hadn't meant that to sound so callous. He didn't want his father to die, just to leave him alone. But that wasn't likely to happen. He sighed. _I'll never be what he wants. Hell, I don't even know what he wants! It'd be better if they all forgot that I existed_.

Shunsui shook his head, dispelling the gloomy thoughts. _Let's go find Mariko_ , he told himself firmly. _Everything will look better once you're not cooped up in this dreary little room_. He wandered leisurely down the hall, disappointed by the lack of other students. Everyone was in lessons like good little boys and girls. _Boring_ , Shunsui thought rebelliously. _With a whole city to explore, there's no reason to remain here_.

The girls' dormitory was across a small field from the boys' rooms. Although the young men could come and go freely, a matronly woman guarded the door of the girls' building. _It'd be such a scandal, wouldn't it, if a noble girl hooked up with the wrong guy?_ Shunsui thought cynically. _Can't let them wander around after dark, either_. All students had a curfew, but it was an open secret that the guards enforced it much more aggressively for the few young women at the Academy. Shunsui had strolled past them after curfew several times, tossing a silver coin in their direction, and had never been bothered.

"Is Mariko-san in, obasan?" Shunsui asked politely, using the generic term for an older woman.

She eyed him critically. Apparently deciding that he passed muster, she replied, "No, she left this morning."

Shunsui bowed his head in thanks. "Much obliged." He strolled away, hands shoved negligently in his sleeves. The warmth of the sun on his back made him smile as he wandered down manicured paths towards the main office buildings. Mariko worked as a receptionist there between her classes. If she wasn't off work yet, he figured that he'd enjoy the fall sunshine while waiting for her to finish.

He had just passed the sixth year dormitories when a flare of reiatsu made him pause. The energy, crackling with the bite of lightning, felt vaguely familiar. He turned and strode back towards the building. _There aren't any kido or zanjutsu classes going on_ , he mused to himself. _So why is someone flaring?_ It felt like Juushiro, but the reiatsu held a tang of anger that he didn't expect from his serene roommate.

Shunsui rounded the corner to see Juushiro backed against a wall, calm resolve in his hard green eyes. He held both hands in front of him defensively, though he hadn't summoned any kido fire to his fingers. Three older boys surrounded him – sixth year students, by their uniforms. Shunsui recognized one of them as a son of the Shiba clan, though he couldn't recall his name. _Gorash, maybe? No, Gorou, that's it_. The three lounged in deceptively relaxed postures, but cruel anticipation marred their pseudo-pleasant expressions. Gorou's hand was wrapped around the bicep of a girl in the uniform of the Academy servants; she wore an expression of hopeless resignation.

"You know, if you apologize, we can all forget about this," one of the sixth years remarked casually. "You're barely noble, and you're obviously too weak to keep up with the rest of us. Why take a beating when you don't have to?"

"I'm sure you know how to apologize politely to your betters," Gorou added silkily. "If you keep trying to interfere in things that don't concern you, you're going to get seriously injured." He flared his reiatsu higher, rolling his eyes. "You'd be smart to go home and leave the combat to those of us more suited to it."

The third student snorted. "His family's too poor to take him back, don't you know? I bet they're hoping he dies here and they don't have to care for a sickly invalid anymore."

Juushiro's eyes narrowed. "You don't know anything about my family," he bit out coldly.

"Wanna bet?" Gorou murmured silkily. "I know more than you think. My family knows everything."

Juushiro tensed at that, and Shunsui could sense anger surging through his spirit energy. _What's going on?_ Gorou Shiba was a bit of a hothead, but Juushiro got along with everyone. _Why are they suddenly picking on him like this?_ Shunsui studied the scene in puzzlement, bewildered by the tense undercurrents.

He grew even more confused when the first student gestured to the girl held by Gorou and sneered, "What, is she some bastard by-blow of your family's? Is that why you care so much?" He snorted. "Or do you want to fuck her?"

The girl buried her face in her hands, cheeks crimson with embarrassment at the crudity. Shunsui frowned as he caught a whiff of nervousness emanating from her reiatsu, but he was distracted by Gorou's snort of laughter. "Really?" He negligently shoved Juushiro's shoulder, snickering. "He's not man enough to kiss a girl, much less fuck one." Juushiro gritted his teeth, hissing as his shoulder blades collided with the wall.

Gorou's other friend chuckled. "Yeah, but she's too hot to be a part of his family."

The first student eyed Juushiro speculatively. "Hmm, I don't know. Put him in a woman's kimono and he'd make a pretty cute girl." Shunsui rolled his eyes at the childish insult. He didn't understand why Juushiro didn't summon a kido spell and wipe the smirks off of their faces; his roommate was far better at kido than any of the trio. _Maybe it's because of that girl?_ Shunsui grinned to himself as he studied her, admiring her long black hair and lithe figure. _It's a pity Shiba already made a move on her, she's hot_.

Then Gorou pulled the girl a bit closer, and Juushiro's reiatsu spiked with protectiveness. Shunsui frowned. _Okay, seriously, what's going on?_ The girl hunched her shoulders, tensing against Gorou's hold, as the muscular sixth year smirked. "Yeah, he would. But he's nowhere near as lovely as Chiasa, here." His hand slipped down to her waist, eliciting snickers from his friends.

Juushiro clenched his teeth. Shunsui could feel his reiatsu edge higher as he answered icily, "Leave her alone."

Shunsui glanced between his roommate and the girl, feeling as though he'd stumbled into far deeper waters than he realized. _Does he know her?_ The flamboyant student shook his head. _No, I don't think so_. Juushiro wasn't the type to pick up servant girls for a bit of fun. _So why is he so upset?_ His roommate's normally-placid reiatsu boiled with anger, flavored with worry.

"I'm getting tired of this farce," Gorou drawled lazily. He relinquished his grip on the girl, who was apparently named Chiasa, and faced Juushiro squarely. "I don't think I quite heard what you said. Care to repeat it?" he challenged.

"I said, leave her alone," Juushiro repeated coolly, reiatsu swirling in a controlled storm around him. He made an aborted movement towards Chiasa, but halted when Gorou's friends shifted their weight. Shunsui groaned internally. _Ukitake, are you really this stupid? Don't pick a fight with Shiba, that's just asking for trouble. Why do you care so much?_

"Damn it, you obviously need that lesson in respect," Gorou spat. He reached out to grab Juushiro's gi in his fist, attempting to yank him off balance. Chiasa let out a terrified whimper as the slender student stumbled forward, and Shunsui's eyes narrowed. _Something isn't right here_. Gorou hauled Juushiro closer and lifted a fist, smirking. "Maybe now you'll remember your place," he sneered, before swinging with all his strength at Juushiro's head.

"Bakudo 8: Seki," Juushiro spat hastily. The circular shield bloomed over his forearm as he blocked. Gorou swore as the kido sent sparks through his hand, numbing the muscles. Rather than reach out again, he swung his other hand in a powerful uppercut. Juushiro swept his arm into a downwards block, but the other student's years of experience made it an uneven contest. Juushiro fended off several more blows, but he was trapped between the wall and Gorou's friends. As he dodged a vicious hook punch, one of them shoved him, and Gorou caught him in the chest with a nasty roundhouse kick. Juushiro doubled over, gasping fruitlessly for air. He coughed once, harshly, and specks of blood flecked his lips.

Gorou laughed humorlessly. "Remember this, next time you think you're worthy of attending this Academy." He stepped carelessly around Juushiro's prone body and wrapped his arm around Chiasa's waist again. "Now that this cretin is dealt with, let's go," he purred, running the fingers of his free hand through her hair. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply before giving Gorou a forced smile; he grinned back.

Shunsui gulped. _Yeah, okay, this is definitely messed up_. Juushiro coughed again, and didn't stop. More blood spilled into his fingers as the trio of sixth years began to stroll away, ignoring him completely. The girl walked beside Gorou with an expression of weary resignation, which flickered into a joyless smile whenever he looked at her. The other two students chuckled as they followed the pair, whispering to each other.

Taking a deep breath, Shunsui strode out into the courtyard. "Now what do you think you're doing?" he asked pleasantly.

Gorou rolled his eyes. "Kyoraku, what are you doing here? This doesn't have anything to do with you."

"Really?" Shunsui asked. "Because that girl doesn't look like she wants to go anywhere with you, and that's my roommate." _Who is currently coughing up blood because of you_. Shunsui might not get along very well with Juushiro, but he hated to see the pale student in so much pain. _Plus, I'm starting to think that some of the rumors are right about you_. He knew that Gorou had a reputation for taking unwanted liberties when drunk, but he had always dismissed that as jealous gossip. _Now I'm not so sure_.

Gorou barked a laugh. "You're rooming with that? He's not even really noble!" He completely ignored the girl, still pressed against his side like an unruly pet. Her meager reiatsu vibrated with trepidation, which grated along Shunsui's spine like nails on a blackboard.

The flamboyant student took a step forward, putting himself between Juushiro and Gorou. "Let go of her," he ordered softly. "Now."

"Are you forgetting your position here?" Gorou asked warningly. "Your family may be powerful, but my clan outranks yours, and we're soon going to be even more powerful. My father has plans, you see... So don't start something you can't finish."

Shunsui's gray eyes hardened. Behind him, Juushiro coughed wetly. "I'm not forgetting anything. But apparently you're forgetting the manners that your parents taught you." He shifted into a fighting stance. "Let go of her and back off." His reiatsu rose around him, fanned by anger boiling in his gut.

 _Good_ , a voice murmured in his head. _Scum like this doesn't deserve to live_.

Shunsui tensed, but the voice didn't say anything else. He clenched his hands into fists, wrapping power around them into a protective coating. Gorou's reiatsu flared in instinctive response. For a moment, Shunsui hoped that the older student would forget himself enough to attack – _I bet I could take him, so long as the others didn't interfere_. Then Gorou looked around furtively. "Fine," he spat, shoving the girl at Shunsui. She stumbled, and he caught her hastily. "We won't forget this." He glanced at his friends, and snarled, "Come on, let's go."

The trio hurried away, damping their spiritual pressure to avoid detection from the teachers. As soon as they were out of sight, Shunsui dropped to his knees at Juushiro's side. "Ukitake?" he asked worriedly. "Are you… what's going on?" That hit hadn't looked hard enough to make his roommate cough blood, but crimson stained Juushiro's fingers and puddled on the ground beneath him.

Juushiro wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, smearing blood across it. "I'll be fine," he said weakly. He pulled himself into a sitting position, skin paler than usual.

Shunsui shook his head, pulling a handkerchief out of his sleeve and carefully cleaning up the traces of blood on his roommate's face. Juushiro froze at the contact, looking at him with wide emerald eyes. Shunsui dabbed a fleck of blood away from the corner of his mouth and raised an eyebrow. "Coughing blood does not usually imply you'll be fine," he pointed out. His roommate's skin was feverishly warm to the touch, and his eyes shone glassily.

Juushiro looked away. "It's not an unusual occurrence," he replied softly.

"What do you mean?" Shunsui asked, confused.

Juushiro looked back at him, startled. "You don't know?"

Shunsui shrugged. "I know that they were calling you sickly and an invalid." He had heard rumors to that effect for years, but the slender student had never seemed like an invalid to him. _He's got more reiatsu than I do, I think_. And Shunsui knew that he himself was far from weak.

Juushiro's mouth twisted. "Not quite right, but close enough." He heaved a sigh, studying something in the distance. "When I was little, I almost died. My parents took me to Mimihagi's shrine and prayed for my survival." He looked down. "I survived, but my lungs were severely damaged. Mimihagi burned the disease out of me, which left scars that break open under stress." He glanced up at Shunsui, who couldn't think of anything to say. "Don't worry, it's not contagious." He paused, then added softly, "If you want to ask Kichiro-sensei for a different roommate, I'll understand."

Shunsui swallowed hard at the bitterness and resignation in Juushiro's tone. Taking his roommate's hand in his, he began wiping away the scarlet smears. "Why would I want another roommate?" he asked lightly. "No one else is nearly as much fun to tease."

Juushiro broke out laughing in surprise, then coughed. "You mean no one else will put up with your teasing," he replied when he caught his breath.

Shunsui grinned flippantly. "Same thing."

The girl, who had been watching them warily from a safe distance, moved hesitantly closer. "Hey, um, thanks, milord," she mumbled to Juushiro, bowing low to the ground while keeping a cautious eye on Shunsui.

He nodded gravely to her. "You are welcome. Do you have family around here that I can escort you back to?" He rose carefully, brushing dirt off his legs. Blood spatters stained his white gi top, but he paid them no attention.

For a second, Shunsui thought the girl was going to bolt. She rocked nervously from foot to foot, hands clenched at her sides. Shunsui could see bruises forming in the shape of Gorou's fingers on her bicep – the sight made him growl internally. No man should treat a woman like that. She shrank back, and he realized that he was losing control of his reiatsu. Taking a deep breath, he reined it in and stood. The girl took several quick steps backwards. "Ah, I'll be okay, milord," she blurted out hastily.

"We're not going to hurt you," Shunsui promised gently. "I swear on my honor as a Kyoraku." The irony of swearing by the name of his family, who probably would have said that he had no honor to speak of, was not lost on him.

Rather than reassure her, the name made her flinch. Juushiro cast a reproachful glance at Shunsui. "I know nobles are scary," he told her, "But I've got a little sister about your age. I promise, no harm will come to you or your family if you let us escort you home."

"You're noble too," she mumbled, before flushing violently. "I mean, yes, sir. Whatever you say, sir." She bowed again, and a faint blush stained Juushiro's cheeks. The corners of Shunsui's mouth twitched as his roommate's embarrassment, but he saved the teasing for later. Chiasa was obviously wary of them – him in particular – and he didn't want to scare her. _I prefer gorgeous ladies to be falling all over me, not running away in terror_.

Juushiro smiled gently in response to Chiasa's unasked question. "Like I said, I've got a little sister. Two, actually. I wouldn't let them wander around alone after being attacked, and I'd like to help you too if you'll let me."

The girl scuffed at the ground with her foot, looking suspiciously between the two men. Finally she heaved a sigh. "Alright. My ma is a cook in the Shiba family home; we live in Meguro district." She shuffled her feet and sighed, glancing downwards. "She's gonna be mad that I'm getting home late," she muttered. One hand absently rubbed at the bruises on her arm, and she winced.

Juushiro held out a hand, careful to give her plenty of space. "If you want, I can heal those bruises for you," he offered. When Shunsui eyed him curiously, he explained, "I know that we're not supposed to use unfamiliar kido without supervision, but Shiba-sensei said that I can practice minor healing kidos on my own." He glanced back at Chiasa, still patiently holding his hand out. When she nodded tentatively, he motioned for her to give him her arm. A soft green glow enveloped the bruises, which faded from blue to green within seconds.

Shunsui watched, feeling slightly embarrassed. He could barely summon the healing weave correctly; if he tried to use it on another person, he'd be more likely to injure them than heal them. _Maybe I really should pay more attention, at least to the useful classes_. It would be more work, but it could clearly come in handy.

Once Juushiro had finished, he offered the girl a hand. "May I escort you back now?" he asked politely, as if he was asking the daughter of a noble for a stroll in the moonlight. He cast an uncertain glance at Shunsui, who shrugged and nodded. He didn't want to leave Juushiro and the girl alone, in case Gorou and his friends returned.

The girl hunched her shoulders, eyes darting around, then sighed. "Of course, milord," she muttered, giving them yet another bow.

Juushiro smiled at her. "Lovely. I'm Juushiro Ukitake, and this is Shunsui Kyoraku," he introduced. Despite the flustered blush that remained on his cheeks, he managed to keep his voice perfectly steady.

"Chiasa Kagome," she replied shyly.

Shunsui grinned. "That's a gorgeous name, fit for such a beautiful girl," he told her flirtatiously. When she blushed and looked warily at Juushiro for reassurance, he winced. _Okay, maybe flirting with her is a bad idea_. Thankfully, when Juushiro nodded encouragingly at her, she smiled shyly back at Shunsui. _I guess she's not too terrified, if she can respond to flirting without flinching_. Shunsui shook his head. _Still, no more compliments, I guess_. He glanced over at Juushiro, and smirked at the way his roommate eyed her protectively. She, in turn, had immediately assumed that she could trust him, despite his noble blood. Shunsui hid his amusement at the interaction; the slender student had that effect on everyone.

The walk back to Chiasa's home took them through richest neighborhoods, which made Chiasa glance around with wary eyes. But as they left those expensive enclaves, the tension left her shoulders, and she started pointing out features of the neighborhood to Juushiro. Shunsui grinned as her shyness dissolved into exuberance, bringing a sparkle to her eyes.

Children playing in the streets paused their games as they went by, watching them with wide eyes. "Do they not see many Academy students around here?" Shunsui asked curiously.

Chiasa snorted, then cast a quick glance at him to make sure he wasn't angry. He grinned back at her, and she said, "Shinigami and students don't come down here, sir. We're not important enough for the likes of you." Shunsui looked around at the claustrophobic buildings crammed together, paint peeling and wood cracking. Washing hung from lines strung from balcony to balcony. Every inch of spare space was put to use.

"No, I guess not," he said slowly. The neighborhood was a far cry from the stately estate where he'd grown up, or the expensive mansions maintained by each noble family in the heart of the Seireitei. Dirt and disorder didn't dare touch those rarified halls. But the people who kept them so clean lived here, with barely enough space to turn around. It was a sobering reminder. The money that meant so little to him could easily be more than a week's wages for the people around him. _Is that why Chiasa looks like she never gets enough to eat?_ he wondered. She didn't have enough spiritual pressure to need much food, but she needed some. _Does her family lack the money to afford it?_

Chiasa paused at the stoop of a rickety building. A toddler ran out, pink cheeks flushed, and launched himself at her. She caught him and grinned. "Roku, what do you think you're doing?" she teased. Looking back at Juushiro, she smiled shyly. "Thank you, milord. Ma will be glad I'm home safe." Glancing over at Shunsui, she added, "Thank you too, Kyoraku-sama." With that, she disappeared into the house, carrying the toddler in the crook of her arm, while Shunsui gaped at her.

Juushiro snickered as he opened and closed his mouth several times. Finally he managed to blurt out, "Sama? Really?"

His roommate lifted an eyebrow. "Did you expect anything different? You're a high noble. You could have her killed, and no one would even question it. Of course she'll be respectful."

"But that's a title for my father, not me," Shunsui complained. Not even the servants at home called him that.

Juushiro looked at him soberly. "Not around here."

Shunsui rolled his eyes. "Let's get going." Belatedly, he realized that Mariko must have gotten off work a bell ago. "Damn it," he groaned under his breath. So much for taking her to see the newest play. He couldn't bring himself to care too much, though. If anything had happened to Juushiro or Chiasa because he chose not to accompany them, he would have been furious with himself. _Though I doubt Shiba, whatever his name is, would really start more trouble over this_.

As they walked briskly down the streets, Juushiro turned to Shunsui. "Thank you for your help," he said formally.

Shunsui waved a hand. "It was nothing. I couldn't let that idiot Shiba do whatever he was planning." He wrinkled his nose. "Why was he so mad at you, anyway?"

Juushiro stopped and stared at him in shock. "Why do you think?"

Shunsui shrugged. "Well, you obviously interrupted his attempt to pick her up, but I don't know why." He glanced sidelong at his roommate. "I'm guessing you had a good reason…" He trailed off, gesturing vaguely at the world. "But I don't know what it is." If it had been any other student, Shunsui would have guessed that they had an interest in the girl as well. But somehow he couldn't picture Juushiro picking a fight over a girl. _Hell, I don't even know if he likes girls_. Now that was an intriguing thought.

He started walking again, and Juushiro followed, eyes narrowed. "Kyoraku, did you notice anything strange about that whole situation?" he asked flatly.

"Besides Shiba's intention to beat you up for interfering?" He shrugged again. "I mean, she didn't look very happy, but she was clearly with him willingly, so…" He trailed off as Juushiro stared at him incredulously. "What?"

Juushiro took a deep breath and pressed his lips together. "Kyoraku, either you're absurdly naïve or willfully blind," he said with deliberate control.

Shunsui puzzled over that statement for several blocks, confused by his roommate's sudden coldness. _What does he mean, willfully blind? I don't_ … Shunsui halted. _Wait_. "Are you… do you mean…" He stumbled over his own words. "She wasn't protesting, though," he argued weakly.

Juushiro's reiatsu flared with frozen anger. "Kyoraku, she had no choice," he explained slowly. "Shiba is noble. Chiasa is not. Do I need to spell it out for you?" He stalked away, and Shunsui hurried after him, mouth working soundlessly. _But no noble would take advantage of someone like that! It's against everything we're taught as children_. He said as much out loud, and Juushiro barked a laugh. "I wish the world worked that way," he said harshly. "But it doesn't."

Shunsui gaped at him. "Rape is a serious crime!" he blurted out. "It's… it's… unthinkable!" No noble had that little honor, surely. _Sure, Shiba can be a bit of an ass, but rape?_ He grimaced. _If she doesn't say no, is it still rape?_

 _Yes_ , a voice murmured from deep inside him. Shunsui started, nearly tripping over his own feet. Juushiro glanced back at him and sighed heavily. "In a court of law, Shiba's actions are perfectly reasonable," he murmured. "Unless she had a powerful father and could prove that she fought back, there's not a judge in the world that would convict the son of the Shiba clan." He closed his eyes briefly. "If the girl is poor, it's not rape, it's simply…" He lifted his hands. "The way the world works." A wealth of bitterness lurked underneath his façade of reasonableness.

"You sound like you have experience with this," Shunsui murmured tentatively.

Juushiro shrugged. "I…" He faltered and glanced around. "Maybe later." Picking up his pace, he strode around a corner and headed towards the dorms. "Right now, we've both got class to go to." His hands were clenched in fists at his sides, but his reiatsu was locked down tight. It felt like he was wrapped in a layer of steel; Shunsui couldn't sense anything from him.

"Aren't you going to tell anyone?" Shunsui asked curiously.

"Tell who?" Juushiro replied quietly. "The Shiba clan is one of the five great noble houses. They're above the law."

Shunsui lifted an eyebrow. "How about Yamamoto-sensei? He's made his opinion of student fights very clear." Even friendly brawls in the hallways were strictly forbidden. _It's not like he didn't repeat that ad nauseam during the welcome address at the beginning of the year_.

Juushiro sighed heavily. "It doesn't matter enough." He raised a hand to forestall Shunsui's protest. "It wasn't a real fight, just a minor altercation. If anything, we would both be punished for disorderly conduct." He rubbed at the blood spattering his white gi top with a pensive expression.

Shunsui winced. "Yeah, maybe," he muttered. "But what if…" He trailed off. _I can't believe that Shiba actually intended to take advantage of Chiasa. No noble would do something like that_. He shook his head irritably, and hurried to catch up to his roommate. "Ukitake, wait," he called. Juushiro glanced back with an unreadable expression. "Don't you want the instructors to know about Shiba's behavior?" Shunsui asked. _He might get reprimanded for hitting you, at least_.

Juushiro bit his lip and shrugged. "It wouldn't do any good." His eyes narrowed, and he looked like he was about to add something else, then thought better of it. Icy fury seeped through his shields, startling Shunsui, before he pulled his spirit energy back under control. "Come on, we'll be late for study hall."

Shunsui rolled his eyes as he followed the slender student back towards the classroom building. _Ukitake, I can't understand you_ , he complained mentally. _Why won't you report Shiba's attack?_ He made a face at Juushiro's rigid back, watching as his roommate stalked through the grounds. _Stiff-necked, prideful idiot_. Shunsui sighed. _Just don't get hurt because of this, okay? I don't want to have to wash blood off of you again_.


	5. If Wishes Were Fishes

**Chapter 5: If Wishes Were Fishes**

Shunsui's concern for his roommate lasted until that evening, when a raucous party full of sake drove the incident out of his mind. He was too preoccupied with his throbbing head and bone-dry mouth the next morning to pay much attention to Gorou's veiled sneers during breakfast, and skipped lunch in favor of a quick nap. By the time he exited his last class of the day, squinting into the setting sun, he had completely forgotten about the whole mess.

Then the summons arrived.

It was delivered by a bored underclassman, who corned him as he made his way through the crowded halls. "Kyoraku-san, you are ordered to immediately report to Headmaster Yamamoto in his office."

Shunsui rolled his eyes. "What, now?" The lanky teen nodded, and Shunsui groaned. "Any idea why?"

"Sorry," the messenger replied, shrugging. "I was just told to give you the message."

Shunsui groaned again. "Fine," he muttered, spinning on his heel and striding towards the nearest exit. _I bet it's about the party last night… I told them we were being too loud!_ Maybe one of the other students had reported them for misconduct; it wouldn't be the first time. Shunsui's lips curved into a pleased smile. _It was worth it, though_. He had even managed to coax a kiss out of Mariko, though she had regrettably vomited soon afterwards, precluding any further exploration.

Daydreaming over possible future parties took him past the reception desk and to Yamamoto's door, where he nearly tripped over his own feet. "Ukitake-san?" he asked, coming to an abrupt halt at the sight of the white-haired student standing rigidly against the wall. "What are you doing here?"

Juushiro's expression might have been carved out of ice, for all the emotion he showed. "I was summoned," he replied quietly, casting a brief glance at Shunsui before staring straight ahead again. "I assume you were as well."

It wasn't a question, but Shunsui nodded anyway. Taking a step closer to Juushiro, he peered at the slender student's face with a critical expression. "You know, if you keep making that face, it'll freeze like that," he said conversationally. "At least that's what my nurse always told me." Of course, she had been referring to the monstrous faces that he had made in an attempt to scare the servants when he was little, but he figured that it applied here as well. _I like you better when you smile_.

Juushiro favored him with a disparaging glance, and didn't reply. Shunsui pouted at him, which caused a thin crack to appear in Juushiro's façade, but he quickly regained his chilly expression. "You're no fun," Shunsui complained, slouching against the wall. "Though if you're here, I guess the old man isn't upset about the party last night..."

The door slid open as he finished the sentence, and Yamamoto glowered at him. "Party, Kyoraku-san?" he asked.

Shunsui offered the headmaster his most charming smile. "Just an innocent get-together of a couple friends," he explained cheerfully.

Yamamoto's dour expression didn't lighten. "Kyoraku-san, your antics will get you in trouble one day," he predicted dryly. Sliding the door open further, he motioned for them to enter. "But you are correct, I have received no reports of a 'party' at this time." As they both knelt in front of his desk, he strode around it and sank into seiza. Despite the lines creasing his face, his motions showed no sign of age. "No, I have summoned you both for a far graver matter." Juushiro's reiatsu flickered with something akin to panic for a brief moment as the old man continued, "I have been informed that you both offered insult to Gorou Shiba on a matter of some importance. Impugning the honor of a son of one of the Five Noble Houses is, as you know, a serious offense. However, Shiba-san is not pressing charges. He merely wished to see you both reprimanded." Yamamoto ran his eyes over both of them, mouth pressed into a hard line. "I wish to hear your sides of the story."

Juushiro and Shunsui exchanged troubled glances. "Sir?" Juushiro asked cautiously. "I apologize, but I don't understand what you want from us." He flicked another glance at Shunsui, who shrugged and shook his head.

Yamamoto sighed. Eyes sliding partway closed, he explained, "You both encountered Shiba-san last afternoon, did you not?" They both nodded. "Describe the encounter."

As Juushiro launched into the story, Shunsui studied the headmaster from beneath lowered eyelids. He wasn't fooled by the man's placid expression – Yamamoto had a reputation for concealing anger behind a bland façade. _The calmer he looks, the more likely it is that you end up cleaning latrines for a month_. Shunsui grimaced. _Stupid old man_. Yamamoto's gaze drifted over to him, and Shunsui hastily wiped the thought from his mind. Rumor has it that the headmaster could read minds; Shunsui didn't want to find out if that was true.

Juushiro concluded with, "So, we escorted Chiasa-san home and returned to the Academy," and Yamamoto nodded.

"Ukitake-san, you are one of the best fourth year students, and I have never known you to lie," he began, studying Juushiro with a pensive expression. "But your story differs from Shiba-san's tale in several crucial details." He exhaled heavily and turned to Shunsui, who flinched before he could stop himself. "Kyoraku-san, do you have anything to add?"

Shunsui shook his head respectfully. "No, sensei."

Yamamoto steepled his hands in front of him and peered at both students. "Ukitake-san, are you sure that this girl was truly reluctant? Women often feign shyness to preserve their reputation. Perhaps you were mistaken."

Shunsui's eyes narrowed. "With all due respect, sir, I could feel Chiasa-san's reiatsu as well. She was scared." He frowned. _Though maybe that was because of the interaction between Shiba and Ukitake? She could have been scared by that, I guess_. Conflict between shinigami-in-training were often dangerous to bystanders. But Shunsui couldn't shake the feeling that Gorou, not the impending fight, had caused Chiasa's fear. _I seriously should have punched him_.

Juushiro nodded in agreement, pressing his hands firmly against his thighs. "Sir, she made repeated attempts to leave, but Shiba-san refused to let her go. She clearly did not want to accompany him, but he didn't give her a choice. He also made repeated attempts to touch her arm, her hair, and her waist; she pulled away from all of them. Her reiatsu spoke of fear and resignation, not excitement or anticipation. " He hesitated, opening his mouth as though he wanted to say more, but Yamamoto's forbidding look dissuaded him.

"That is hardly good evidence, Ukitake-san," Yamamoto intoned, eyelids drooping. "Her protests are no surprise; such demurrals are to be expected for a girl in her position." He frowned, deepening the wrinkles on his face. "She was not physically struggling, correct?"

Juushiro nodded reluctantly. "However, I do not believe that her lack of struggle signifies her willingness. Shiba-san is a powerful student and holds a prominent position in the Shiba clan; he could easily injure her if she fought back. It would make sense for her to acquiesce, despite her reluctance." His reiatsu surged briefly, and his hands clenched into fists as he wrestled it back under control. Shunsui cast a worried glance in his direction, but Juushiro was staring straight ahead, and didn't notice.

Yamamoto sighed. "That is a facile explanation, but it contradicts Shiba-san's description of the situation. He says that she was there willingly, and I see no reason to disbelieve him. Why else would this girl be in that part of the Academy?"

"Her name is Chiasa," Shunsui muttered. Yamamoto raised an eyebrow, and the spiritual pressure in the room spiked. Juushiro shot him an alarmed glance. "Sorry, sensei," Shunsui said more politely. He rolled his eyes. _It's like the old man is determined to believe Shiba, no matter what we say. He's got an answer for everything_. Shunsui bit his lip, studying Juushiro out of the corner of his eye. His roommate's face was paler than usual, and his emerald eyes were flinty. _Isn't there any way we can convince him? His objections are just stupid… she was there because she's a servant here, obviously! It's not like she was trespassing_. He wanted to say as much, but when he opened his mouth, Yamamoto's fiery spirit energy rose higher, and Juushiro glared at him.

Shunsui bowed his head, and the spiritual pressure in the room receded. Yamamoto snorted. "Impudent youngster." He turned to Juushiro. "I understand that you meant well, Ukitake-san, but vague feelings are not evidence. This girl is from a poor family, and the poor are often lacking in morals. It seems likely that she did, indeed, accompany Shiba-san willingly, and only evinced reluctance to preserve a semblance of modesty." He blinked slowly. "Or, possibly, as a servant of the Academy, she was worried that she would lose her position if the liaison was discovered. Ukitake-san's presence would have made her visibly reluctant to accompany Shiba while he was watching, even if she had initially been willing. The blame does not fall on Shiba-san for her change of heart." His lips thinned. "Young women are often fickle."

Juushiro's reiatsu froze solid at that. "Sensei, that's not fair," he said in a carefully controlled tone. "From what I saw of her, Chiasa-san is an honorable girl." His fingers tightened around the fabric of his hakama, and Shunsui blinked. If not for his roommate's prodigious control, he suspected that the room would be full of a tempest of ocean-scented reiatsu. _What's got you so upset?_ he asked silently. _You don't even know Chiasa, as far as I know_. While Yamamoto's attitude was irritating, it wasn't cause for the turbulence seething under Juushiro's calm exterior.

Yamamoto must have been able to sense Juushiro's struggle to rein in his temper, but he made no mention of it. Instead, he folded his hands and fixed both of them with a stern glare. "Are you accusing Shiba-san of lying, then?" he asked, warning heavy in his tone.

Juushiro's shoulders slumped, and he shook his head. "No, sensei. I apologize if I have given offense." Shunsui gritted his teeth at the resignation in his roommate's tone. Levying such an accusation against an heir to the Shiba clan would be foolhardy in the extreme, and he knew it. But that didn't lessen the frustration that he felt as he watched Juushiro bow his head in submission.

Yamamoto's expression softened. "You have not caused any offense, Ukitake-san. I understand your zeal for justice, but in this case it is misplaced. Shiba-san is third in line for the Shiba clan, and is an honorable man; he would not coerce an unwilling girl. You must not let your emotions rule your actions." He switched his gaze to Shunsui. "Kyoraku-san, I respect your willingness to stand up for your roommate, but you must choose your battles carefully." He sighed. "However, neither of you acted with malice, and it appears as though Shiba-san is also at fault for the conflict. Therefore, I will not accede to Shiba-san's request to reprimand either one of you." Shunsui heaved a sigh of relief, and Yamamoto frowned. "I do not wish to see either of you in this office again," he added, focusing his gaze on Shunsui. "Especially you, Kyoraku-san."

Shunsui gave him a flamboyant bow. "Of course, sensei," he promised. _At least not until the next time you catch us partying_. Considering the frequency of such incidents, he would be back there within a week.

Some of that must have shown on his face, for Yamamoto waved his hand irritably. "Go on, get back to study hall."

"Thank you for your time, sensei," Juushiro murmured, rising and bowing respectfully.

Yamamoto permitted a hint of a smile to cross his face. "You are a good student, Ukitake-san. Keep up your hard work."

"Thank you, sensei."

* * *

Juushiro's iron-fisted control over his reiatsu started to crack as he strode through the building, but his face remained blank until the doors slid shut behind him. Then he whirled, snapped a command, and drove his fist into the ground. Fire bloomed around his hand, scorching the grass and sending dirt flying, before dissipating.

Shunsui blinked, taken aback. "Um, Ukitake?" he asked curiously. "Are you alright?" He'd never seen his roommate lose control like that; he hadn't realized it was possible. Even Shunsui's most outrageous antics only earned him a scornful look or disparaging comment. _I guess I underestimated him_.

Juushiro lifted his head, shaking his hair out of his eyes. "I'm fine," he muttered, wiping dirt off of his hands. "I apologize." Embarrassment stained his cheeks a pale pink as he rose slowly to his feet.

Shunsui shook his head. "Don't apologize." Before Juushiro could react, Shunsui captured his hand, frowning. "You know that this is burned, right?" Blisters were already forming.

Juushiro's lips quirked into a rueful smile. "Yeah, I can feel that." He whispered a few words, and the hand was bathed in a cool green glow. When it faded moments later, it took the blisters with it. "That was stupid."

Shunsui shrugged nonchalantly, relinquishing Juushiro's hand. "Yeah, maybe. So why'd you do it?" What could possibly drive Juushiro, one of the most put-together people that Shunsui knew, to accidentally injure himself out of anger? Not to mention the damage done to the ground.

"It's…" Juushiro faltered. "It's a long story. Let's just say that Shiba-san's actions, and Yamamoto-sensei's inaction, hit close to home." He sighed and shoved his hands in his sleeves, turning his face up to the setting sun. A mixture of unsettled emotions still swam through his reiatsu, but the waves were ebbing.

Shunsui had to smile at the way Juushiro used polite honorifics despite his anger. "You know that they can't hear you, right?" he teased. "You don't have to be so formal all the time."

Juushiro's lips thinned. "Trust me, I have many things that I would like to call Shiba-san, but none are polite. And I'd rather not get charged with slander." He glanced down. "Or ruin Chiasa-san's life if rumors get started."

Shunsui frowned. "I don't understand. What could happen to her?" Slander, he could understand – Gorou would probably leap on an opportunity to take revenge on Juushiro, and a careless word could give him the perfect opening. But that had nothing to do with Chiasa.

Juushiro sighed. "Come with me." To Shunsui's surprise, his roommate led them to a secluded grotto next to the pond on the edge of the Academy grounds. "No one will overhear us here," Juushiro explained as he settled onto a moss-covered rock.

Shunsui sprawled against a sun-warmed boulder, closing his eyes against the glint of the light on the water. "So why's it so important that no one hears us?" he asked curiously.

Juushiro tipped his head back, letting the sun fall on his pale face. "Because, if someone heard this, there's no possible outcome that would be good for us or Chiasa-san," he said slowly. Shunsui turned to regard him, struck by the odd note in his voice. Juushiro took a deep breath. "When I was twelve, the girl who babysat my siblings and me was raped."

The calm, factual statement struck Shunsui dumb. He blinked stupidly at Juushiro, searching for words that refused to come to his tongue. "What… why are you telling me this?" he managed finally. _This is way darker than I was expecting_. He furrowed his brow. _But… I guess it might explain what you meant when you said that it hit close to home. No wonder you were angry_.

Juushiro bit his lip. "Because you need to know. I know we're not exactly friends, but…" He trailed off. "I don't know what to call us, actually."

Shunsui grimaced. Juushiro's tone held an unnerving vulnerability that made Shunsui want to reach out and cradle the slender student to his chest, but he suspected that such an overture would be rejected. Still, he had to respond somehow. "No, we're friends," he decided. "We might get on each other's nerves sometimes, but we're friends." Juushiro glanced up with a startled expression at that, and Shunsui spread his hands. "Or at least, I'd like to us to be friends," he amended.

A slow smile spread across Juushiro's face. "Alright, friends."

Shunsui grinned. "So." He spread his hands invitingly. "You were saying?"

Juushiro sighed, looking pensively across the water. "Akane was sixteen or seventeen. Beautiful – she resembled Chiasa-san, as a matter of fact. She cared for us when my parents were at work." He paused. "It was spring when a shinigami on patrol came to visit us. I don't remember his name; he wasn't interested in meeting the kids, so I was in charge of keeping my siblings out of his way."

Shunsui studied his roommate's composed face soberly. Under Juushiro's matter-of-fact retelling was old heartache and icy determination. His reiatsu swelled around him, ebbing and flowing like a tide synced with his heartbeat.

"I don't know how he spotted Akane; she wasn't taking care of us that afternoon," Juushiro continued. "But he did, and took a fancy to her." Looking straight at Shunsui, he said, "Remember, Akane was just a commoner. So when he asked her to his room, she couldn't say no." Shunsui winced. He wanted to argue that no noble would abuse that power, but he knew that wasn't always true. "He cast a kido around the room to keep us from hearing her screams. Like I said, she was beautiful – though not so beautiful after he was done. When she struggled, he beat her; broke her nose and left a scar across her forehead. Broke her wrist as well."

Shunsui swallowed hard. Chiasa's smiling face swam before his eyes as his imagination painted those wounds onto her visage. "That's… horrible," he murmured.

Juushiro nodded. "When he was done, he gave her a few coins and shoved her out the door. As if the money would make up for what he'd done." He grimaced. "It was enough to provide for her family for a month, so she kept it. I don't think she wanted to, but her duty to her family was stronger than her revulsion."

"So what happened?" Shunsui demanded hotly. "Please tell me the shinigami was punished." Juushiro shook his head, glancing away. "Why not?" Shunsui barked.

"We had the evidence to prosecute him," Juushiro explained. "But she begged us not to. It would ruin her chances for a good marriage if everyone knew she had been," he paused, then continued delicately, "spoiled."

"Spoiled?" Shunsui burst out indignantly. "What the hell do you mean?" His reiatsu swirled around him, redolent with the scent of blossoms and the faint tang of iron. A cruel voice murmured indecipherable suggestions in the back of his mind.

Juushiro clenched his hands into fists. "That was her term for it. She never said the word rape. Never." His mouth twisted into an ironic smile. "She thought it was her own fault for leading him on. She said that it was his right to do as he pleased."

"Even after he broke her nose and wrist?" Shunsui spat furiously.

Juushiro nodded sadly. "Even then. She was never the same after that. She quit tending my siblings, and I only saw her when I went into the village. She tried to commit suicide once… if my mom hadn't found her in time, she would have died." He caught Shunsui's gaze and held it. "Even if we had tried to charge the shinigami with assault, she wouldn't have had peace. At worst, he would have been told to pay a fine – to her father, not to her. If he had been punished at all, it would have been because he took something of value from her father." He sighed heavily. "But more likely, he would have claimed that she came to his bed willingly, and no one would have listened when she said otherwise. She'd be branded as a slut and a whore, forever unable to find a husband."

"Damn it," Shunsui swore heatedly. "That's not fair." He couldn't understand the logic that would condemn a young woman to a virtual exile for something that wasn't her fault. But he knew, if a noble woman was labeled as a whore, her reputation would be forever tarnished. It didn't matter if the accusations lacked a single grain of truth. _And it's probably worse among the common girls, who don't have a powerful family to protect them_. He could understand that in theory, even if his emotions rebelled against it.

Juushiro snorted bitterly. "Life isn't fair. That was what my father told me, when I told him those exact words." He sighed. "My family tried to help Akane, as much as we could. But there's only so much we could do."

Shunsui punched the ground beside him. "That's bullshit. You could have at least dealt with the shinigami bastard who did it."

"What, murder him in his sleep?" Juushiro asked wryly. "That wouldn't have solved anything." He grinned humorlessly. "But he's dead now. A hollow killed him less than a year later."

"Good," Shunsui said fiercely. "He deserved it." The voice in the back of his head snickered.

Juushiro rested his chin in his hand, staring thoughtfully across the lake. "He did. I doubt many people mourned him, either. But he's far from alone." The pale student sighed heavily. "The villagers never talked about it openly, but they were always more cautious when soul reapers came by. The young women stayed indoors, out of sight, as did many of their mothers." He paused, then added reluctantly, "I think, the more powerful the noble, the more careless they were of the women's feelings."

Shunsui's eyes narrowed. _My family would never do something like that!_ he protested silently. Then he froze. _But I suppose my brother was always popular among the maids, as well as many of the young maidens near our estate_ , he thought soberly. _I doubt it was solely for his sparkling wit and personality_. Shunsui rolled his eyes. His brother, Seiichi, had little of the latter and none of the former. _But would he really do something that despicable?_ That was hard to believe. _Then again_ , Shunsui thought uncomfortably, _would I have noticed anything if he did?_ His older brother, the apple of their father's eye, spent the majority of his time learning governance and statecraft from various tutors. He and Shunsui crossed paths only at the weekly family dinners. _Not that I'm complaining about that_ , Shunsui thought hastily, _but it does mean that I know very little about Seiichi as a person_. He sighed dispiritedly. Even if his brother had never committed such a crime, other noblemen had, if Juushiro was right. Shunsui wondered if he could look at any of the young nobles the same again. _How many of them have done something like that?_

Juushiro patted his shoulder comfortingly. "I don't think it's that common," he said quietly. "Our classmates all seem like honorable men. I don't think they'd condone rape."

Shunsui shrugged awkwardly. "But how many others would? Shiba-san and his friends, I guess. Who else?" How many of the laughing, chattering students in the hallways thought that such a crime was acceptable, so long as the girl had no power to speak of?

"I don't know," Juushiro replied slowly. "But I want to think that it's only a small fraction of the nobility."

Shunsui felt his stomach cramp as he processed that. Even if it was only a small number, that was a complete betrayal of what the noble houses stood for. Since he could talk, he had been told that the nobles protected the lower classes. In turn, the commoners owed them allegiance and service. That was the natural order of things. _Rape is nowhere in the equation_.

Juushiro bit his lip. "Most of them have probably never encountered an unwilling woman," he said cautiously. "Being the companion of a noble brings a lot of benefits to a girl."

Shunsui nodded uncomfortably. As the second son of the Kyoraku family, village girls had often flirted with him in the hopes of attracting his attention for a bit. He never figured that it was a bad thing. _I always gave them plenty of gifts, after all_ , he thought to himself. _And they never seemed unhappy when we stopped seeing each other_. Or, to be brutally honest, when he grew bored with them. _And I never bothered to pursue the girls who weren't enthusiastically throwing themselves at me_ , he told himself. "But what if a noble is interested, and the girl isn't?" he asked out loud.

His roommate shook his head. "That's not a good situation for the girl." He paused, and added reluctantly, "Or boy… boys can end up in the same situation. Though it's harder on the girls, I think. They can't fight back, even if they want to; boys can."

"How do you know all this?" Shunsui inquired quietly.

Juushiro shrugged. "Growing up right next to a fishing village, I played with the commoner kids more than I did other nobles." He rolled his eyes. "You heard what Shiba-san said. My family is barely noble; little more than merchants honestly. We weren't high enough status for anyone to care what I did, so I learned some of the attitudes that the fishermen held towards the nobility. That included the cautions I heard the mothers tell their daughters." He sighed. "My mother told my sisters some of the same things."

"Like what?"

"Like, don't go outside the village alone. Make sure that your kimono is tied tightly enough to conceal your… assets, but not too tightly. Don't talk for too long with strangers; be demure and polite around the young men, but don't hint at anything untoward. Never be alone with one." He grimaced. "The village mothers included a few others, I think, but they wouldn't tell me those. I was still the son of a noble, after all, no matter how poor we were."

Shunsui studied the distant expression on Juushiro's face. "Do you miss them?" he asked suddenly. "Your family, I mean."

Juushiro smiled fondly. "I do. Whenever I get a letter from home, I wonder what I'm missing by being here. But I'm doing something no one else in my family can. The kids are too young, and my parents are too busy raising them to fight hollows. This way, I can learn how to protect them, and everyone." His voice hardened. "And I'll protect them from everything, not just hollows. I won't forget what happened to Akane."

Shunsui looked away. "That's a much more honorable reason for being here than I have," he murmured. _Though it sounds like a pretty good one. Being able to protect people like Chiasa – I can believe in that purpose_. He grinned at Juushiro, forcing cheer into his voice as he said, "But philosophy aside, it's getting late. We'd better hurry, or we'll miss dinner."

Juushiro chuckled as he clambered to his feet. "We can't have that, can we?"

Shunsui poked him in the ribs. "You can't, at any rate. You're too skinny."

"Now you sound like my mother," Juushiro complained good-naturedly.

They spent the entire way back to the dining hall bantering, and Shunsui couldn't believe that he had thought his roommate was stiff-necked. Reserved, yes; maybe even a bit shy. But once he relaxed, he could be a lot of fun.

The pleasant mood was shattered as soon as they stepped into the dining hall. Gorou lounged against the wall, several other sixth-year students behind him. "Hey, Kyoraku, Ukitake," he said smoothly. "I hear you went to talk to Yamamoto-sensei today."

Shunsui's eyes narrowed. "Shiba-san. What an unexpected surprise." He added the honorific out of habit, though he didn't know why he bothered. Gorou certainly hadn't included one when addressing either of them.

Gorou pushed himself off the wall, stepping into Shunsui's personal space. "You didn't answer my question."

"You didn't ask a question," Shunsui retorted. He folded his arms, standing his ground in the face of Gorou's rising reiatsu.

Gorou grinned humorlessly. "For a slacker fourth-year who's barely passing, you've got a smart mouth," he threatened.

Shunsui sighed in exaggerated boredom. "So my teachers tell me. For a sixth-year, you've got to be pretty dumb to be stating the obvious like that. Are you sure you're not failing as well?" Behind him, Juushiro smothered a laugh with a cough.

Gorou took a menacing step forward, ending nose to nose with Shunsui. "What did you say?"

"I said, you're pretty dumb," Shunsui repeated.

Gorou's hands clenched into fists as he spat back, "At least I'm not a drunken layabout who's a disgrace to his family."

Shunsui shrugged nonchalantly. "I may be a disgrace, but you're a worse one. Really, Shiba? You can't even get a girl to look at you twice unless you force her." Something like amusement glittered in his eyes. Gorou's reiatsu flared hotly, and he took another step forward. Shunsui glided backwards, maintaining the hand's breadth gap between them.

"Damn it, Kyoraku, you don't know when to shut up," Juushiro muttered subvocally. He forced his way in between the two men, pushing them both backwards. "Are you really going to pick a fight in the dining hall?" he asked exasperatedly. "With teachers within shouting distance?" He rolled his eyes. "Enough."

Gorou glanced around. Sure enough, Shihoin-sensei was chatting with Kichiro-sensei at the instructors' table. Though they hadn't noticed the altercation yet, any spike in reiatsu would bring immediate consequences. "Always slipping out of trouble," the sixth year spat bitterly. He shoved his way past Shunsui and Juushiro, followed by his coterie.

Shunsui watched them with amusement. "He really isn't that bright," he told Juushiro merrily.

"You two were acting like my little brothers fighting over a toy," Juushiro replied acidly. When Shunsui eyed him indignantly, he lowered his voice. "I agree, Shiba-san is a terrible example of honorable behavior. But picking a fight with him in the middle of the Academy won't solve anything."

Shunsui gave him an innocent look. "But it's so much fun."

"You're hopeless," Juushiro muttered. "Come on, let's get our food."

* * *

 **Author's Note** : If you're enjoying the story this far, I'd love to know! Reviews are the only payment authors like me get, and they really do mean the world to me. If I know that people are enjoying the story so far, I'm encouraged to write more _–_ it's rather depressing to write something and have no one read it, after all! So please, if you're having fun with Cat's Cradle _–_ or you think there's something I can improve – let me know! _  
_


	6. Healing Weaves and Drunken Brawls

**Chapter 6: Healing Weaves and Drunken Brawls**

After that day, Shunsui's attitudes towards his classes changed perceptibly. To Juushiro's surprise, his roommate showed up – on time – to nearly three-quarters of his lessons. The only ones that he repeatedly missed were the ones on healing and medicine. Shunsui didn't have sufficient reiatsu control to make an effective healer, and considered the whole subject a waste of time.

Juushiro, on the other hand, eagerly absorbed every bit of healing knowledge he could get his hands on. Most of it involved the application of various herbs to bring down fever and fight infection, but Shiba-sensei also taught pure reiatsu healing. Juushiro's hard-won control over his power, necessary to fight off his attacks, served him in good stead there. Shiba-sensei regularly praised his deft touch.

He was leaving class one day when Mika Fujimoto stopped him with a shy hand on his sleeve. "Ukitake-san?" she asked quietly.

He smiled at her. "Yes, Fujimoto-san?" The other students trickled around them, chattering eagerly about plans for the evening. Healing was the last class of the day, and was taught to a mixture of students from different years. From his squad, only Mika Fujimoto, Taro Kannogi, and Shunsui were part of Juushiro's class – and Shunsui didn't really count, seeing as he never showed up.

Mika blushed and looked down. "Would you…" She hesitated. "I'm having some trouble with the homework Shiba-sensei assigned us. Could you help me?"

"Of course," Juushiro replied easily. The homework for the week involved stimulating reiatsu recovery – a difficult task unless the healer possessed more energy than their patient, but a necessary one. An inexperienced fighter could easily drain himself of reiatsu in a challenging fight, which could prove fatal if left untreated. Conscious of propriety, he asked, "Do you want to go to the library?" Boys weren't allowed in the girls' dorms, and no young lady would be seen unchaperoned in the company of a male student.

She nodded. "Thank you. I know I should be able to get this, but for some reason the power isn't flowing smoothly."

Juushiro led the way out of the building as he replied, "That's a pretty common problem. I bet I can help you figure that out."

The Academy library was housing in a large building in the center of the campus. Kido lights, maintained by the hawk-faced old man who watched over the shelves, lit the rooms, as no one wanted lanterns around so many flammable books. Students were only permitted in the first level of the building, but that had never bothered them much. Juushiro estimated that over a hundred books were stored on the first floor alone – enough to satisfy his curiosity for most subjects. More sensitive material lived below; no student knew how many floors there really were. In the couple decades since the Academy had opened, various noble clans had donated books and artifacts for the archives.

The library also contained a number of small study rooms, alcoves really, that could hold several students. Juushiro chose the first empty one and bowed slightly to Mika. She blushed as she entered and took a demure seat on the cushions within. Juushiro settled in front of her and waved a hand at the kido light overhead. It brightened, and he asked, "So, how far can you get?"

Mika sighed. "I can gather the power within myself and coil it into the spool shape that Shiba-sensei describes. But when I try to feed it to someone, it falls apart."

Juushiro nodded slowly. "Alright. Show me," he urged.

Mika's reiatsu flared to life, bringing the scent of spring rain and flowers with it. In the peculiar energy-world that overlaid the real world, the power glowed a vibrant green. Juushiro watched as she carefully shaped it into a bundle, allowing one thread to hang free. Then she paused. "This is as far as I can go," she informed him.

"Try to send the energy into me, the way you would a patient," Juushiro responded. He brought his own power up slightly, ready to snap shields into place if things went drastically wrong.

Mika rested her fingertips on his shoulder and closed her eyes. Her energy started to flow along her arm in a controlled stream, but she flinched as soon as it touched Juushiro's aquamarine reiatsu. The thread fell apart, and she gritted her teeth. "See?"

Juushiro narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "Maybe it's failing because you're not accustomed to sensing another person's reiatsu," he wondered out loud. "Try now." He lowered his own energy to almost nothing, wrapping everything up in a ball inside of him.

Mika gasped. "What did you do?"

Juushiro chuckled. "Pulled my reiatsu inwards. It might help."

Mika shrugged dubiously, but shaped her energy into a spool again. This time, the energy actually flowed into Juushiro before she jerked away. "I'm no good at this," she sighed. "I'll never be a good healer." She grimaced in frustration.

"You can do it," Juushiro urged.

Mika gave him a wry look. "You managed this trick the first time you tried. Even Kannogi-san got it with very little effort." She rolled her eyes. "I'm supposed to be good at this."

"Why?" Juushiro asked practically.

Mika snorted. "Because that's about the only thing I'll be allowed to do," she pointed out. "Girls can't take a combat position, which means, if I want to join a division, I'll either be a healer or a glorified secretary. And I don't fancy the latter."

Juushiro laughed. "I wouldn't either."

"The trouble is," Mika muttered, "I don't really want to be a healer either." She pulled her reiatsu back into herself.

"So why are you here?" Juushiro asked curiously.

To his surprise, Mika laughed. "Because my mother thought it would be a good way for me to meet eligible young men."

He gaped at her. "Seriously?"

Mika shrugged. "It's a good reason. Almost every scion of a noble clan attends the Academy, though many never join a division. Six years of classes together forms strong bonds. Even if it doesn't lead to marriage, it leads to alliances, which are almost as important." Her lips narrowed. "Far better if I'd been a boy, of course, for I'll never fight alongside our allies as the boys do. But any bonds I form do provide some small gain to the clan."

Juushiro frowned. Her reasoning made sense, as far as it went, but, "Do most nobles see the Academy as a fancy way of socializing?"

"Some do," Mika admitted. "Others are truly here to train." She tilted her head to one side, eyeing him thoughtfully. "I suppose you wouldn't know. Your clan is too far away from the city to see all the maneuvering that goes on. But we're beholden to the Kuchiki clan. I basically grew up with Rei-chan, and she gives me all the latest gossip."

Juushiro hid his amusement at her careful tone. "You can say it, you know," he told her lightly. "I know the Ukitake clan isn't exactly high status."

Mika blushed. "Well, umm…" she stuttered, before glaring at him. "It's not a polite thing to say!"

Juushiro shrugged. "It's also the truth. We were ennobled because of my grandfather's actions in the Flower Wars, not due to any blood connection to the Soul King or his retainers." The five great noble families boasted close ties to the Soul King himself, and most other noble houses could trace their lineage back to some of his top officials. At least, that was what they claimed – Juushiro was slightly skeptical. But the five great houses did regularly produce powerful offspring, so there may have been something to their boast.

Mika rolled her eyes. "I think the Fujimoto clan has a distant ancestor somewhere among the Soul King's court," she said dryly, adding, "But without our connection to the Kuchiki family, we'd be fairly low status as well."

Juushiro absorbed that for a moment, then realized that she had never fully answered his question. "So, you said why your mother wants you here, but that's not really an explanation for why you're here."

"You don't know the kind of power my mother has," Mika muttered. "Trust me, her wanting me here is enough!"

Juushiro raised his eyebrows. "I've seen the way you train," he replied. "Especially in the zanjutsu and kido classes. That's not due to your mother's influence."

Mika blushed and looked down at her hands. Twisting her fingers together, she replied, "Maybe not. I guess… I guess I want to be more than a pretty ornament, you know?" She smiled softly. "When I marry, I want to be able to help my husband. When he's not at home, I don't want to be scared to leave the manor."

"Would you want to fight, if they let you?" Juushiro asked curiously.

Mika laughed in surprise. "Of course not! The exercises are fun, but I couldn't ever use them in a real battle." She shivered. "I can't imagine actually fighting for a living. It's one thing to practice strikes with a bamboo sword; another to swing a zanpakuto through a hollow." She sighed. "I want to have children someday. What kind of mother would I be, if I had to leave home every time a hollow incursion occurred?"

Juushiro shrugged awkwardly. "But you take the hakuda classes," he pointed out. Many of the girls at the Academy opted out of them, choosing to focus solely on non-combative arts once they had mastered basic self-defense. Usually only the young ladies who wanted to become field medics took any more than that. During the first few years of the Academy's tenure, even that much had been forbidden, but a disastrous mission had convinced the instructors that every field healer needed some ability to protect themselves.

Mika nodded firmly. "Because I want to be able to defend myself and my children, if something terrible happens. But I'll leave the fighting to you men." She sighed. "But all this talk isn't helping me get this kido right."

Juushiro chuckled. "No, it's not. Let's try it again, but this time, imagine that I'm a well that you're pouring the energy into."

As they worked, he found himself pondering Mika's words about fighting and motherhood. Though his mother had been busy with an ever-increasing brood, she still took up arms when the village near their home was attacked by hollows. She and his father fought side-by-side against the occasional incursions, surrounded by any of the villagers who could wield a weapon. Once Juushiro was old enough, he had joined them. But he knew his family had been considered quaint and old-fashioned for fighting beside the peasants. 'Let the guards protect them' was the common sentiment.

From what Juushiro had gathered listening to gossip in the dining halls, reiatsu strength was prized in a potential wife, since it meant that any children would probably be powerful. But the ability to use that strength was a touchier subject. _Father never told Mother to stay home where it was safe_ , Juushiro thought. _I can't imagine she would have tolerated it if he did_. But apparently Mika's mother felt differently. _So it's acceptable to use kido, if it's an emergency, but not properly feminine to go and cleanse the hollows before they attack innocents?_ Juushiro wondered. He shook his head ruefully. The business of being a proper noble lady confused him. _Thankfully, I don't have to deal with it!_ He chuckled, and Mika looked at him inquiringly. "Just thinking that your life must be so much more complicated than mine," he told her.

She giggled. "Maybe. But I think your life is harder." Juushiro quirked an eyebrow at her, and she continued, "You have to spend your life fighting, after all. That just sounds awful to me."

Juushiro shrugged. "It doesn't seem so bad when you know that you're protecting the people who can't fight," he replied quietly. "I want to fight to make the world a safer place for all of them – for my parents and my siblings and the villagers I grew up with."

"That's why you train so hard, isn't it?" Mika asked softly.

Juushiro nodded, eyes distant. "It's one of the reasons, yes." Before she could ask more questions, he smiled. "But that's a bit off-topic. I think you've almost got the hang of it – you just need to concentrate a bit harder. Let's try again."

* * *

A week after their encounter with Gorou in the dining hall, Shunsui stumbled into the room late at night, reeking of alcohol and covered in blood. Juushiro was on his feet before he realized he had started moving, catching Shunsui as the bigger man dropped gracelessly onto his bed. "Damn," Shunsui groaned, wincing. "That sucks."

"What happened?" Juushiro asked worriedly.

Shunsui lifted his shoulders in an awkward shrug. "Shiba," he said shortly. His voice was muffled and distorted.

Juushiro nodded. "Wait here," he said, hurrying out of their room. He grabbed a clean towel and soap from the bathing room at the end of the hall, along with a cup of water. When he returned to the room, Shunsui had collapsed onto the bed with his arms outspread. For a second, Juushiro wondered if he'd passed out. Then his roommate shifted position and groaned.

Juushiro knelt by the side of the bed, dipping the towel in the water. He began dabbing at Shunsui's face, where most of the blood had congealed. Shunsui hissed in pain, but made no move to push him away. "Damn… Shiba," he muttered when Juushiro took the soiled cloth away.

"What happened?" Juushiro asked again. He dipped the towel in the water again and began wiping blood and dirt away from Shunsui's nose. Shunsui cursed fervently, and Juushiro froze.

"No, it's okay," Shunsui reassured him. "Just be careful."

Juushiro returned to his task, carefully smoothing the cloth over the smears. "I think it's broken," he told his roommate quietly. "I can heal it, but it'll hurt."

Shunsui gritted his teeth. "Do it."

Juushiro didn't hesitate. Placing his hands around Shunsui's nose, he moved them together until Shunsui hissed, then straightened his fingers. Cartilage cracked under his hands as Shunsui's nose snapped back into place, making Shunsui yelp, then sigh with relief as Juushiro activated the healing kido.

"So, why did Shiba-san break your nose?" Juushiro asked conversationally, maintaining the healing kido with one hand while supporting Shunsui with the other. Through the physical contact, he could feel his roommate's reiatsu smooth out, losing the jagged edges caused by pain.

Shunsui lifted a shoulder. "Probably in revenge, I guess. I don't know."

Juushiro shook his head wryly. "Have you done something else to irritate him recently?" he asked absently. "You'll have a lovely pair of black eyes, by the way," he added. Healing kido could only do so much, and Juushiro wasn't a trained healer like his sensei. But he could feel the swelling decreasing, and the bruising would follow shortly.

Shunsui chuckled painfully. "Think I can get Rei-san to kiss me and make it better?" he joked.

Juushiro rolled his eyes. "Try it, and I think you'll get another broken nose," he warned lightly.

His roommate sighed dramatically. "Ah well, worth a shot."

Juushiro gave him a narrow-eyed look. "So what were you doing that let Shiba-san catch you?" he asked pointedly. "And why do you smell like you've been bathing in a sake factory?" Not that Shunsui coming back drunk was a new occurrence. He may have been attending more classes recently, but he still vanished in the evenings, returning bells later wreathed by the smell of alcohol and perfume. Dark bruises littered his neck on a regular basis. But he didn't usually smell like a match would turn him into a human bonfire.

Shunsui pouted at him. "Don't I get any sympathy?" he complained.

Juushiro returned to cleaning blood away from Shunsui's face. "If you want someone to pamper you and treat you like a hero, go to one of your light-of-loves," he informed his roommate lightly.

"I'd rather have you," Shunsui said seriously. Juushiro blushed, pausing for a moment with the towel pressed to Shunsui's forehead. "I mean, you're a better healer," Shunsui added hastily. Juushiro resumed his motions, puzzled by the odd note in his roommate's voice. _He's just drunk_ , he told himself sternly. _It doesn't mean anything_.

"You still haven't answered the question," Juushiro said after a moment of silence.

Shunsui heaved a sigh. "I was in a bar, and Gorou Shiba happened to be there with some of his cronies. A dish of sake ended up getting splashed all over me during the fight." He looked down mournfully. "It was rather good sake, too."

Juushiro rinsed the towel for the last time, then sat back on his heels. "You're lucky he only broke your nose and blacked your eyes," he informed his roommate. "You know he could have done worse."

Shunsui grimaced. "Trust me, my ribs took a beating too. But the bouncers threw us out when Shiba knocked over some guy's glass and started to get the rest of the clientele involved." He prodded his side experimentally. "I think a couple of them are cracked actually. He threw me pretty hard into a table."

Juushiro sighed. "Let me take a look." Ribs were harder to fix than noses, but they had covered the theory last semester in Shiba-sensei's class.

"Are you going to kiss it and make it better?" Shunsui asked, half-teasing and half-hopeful.

Juushiro blinked. _Okay, something is definitely up with Kyoraku tonight_ , he thought to himself. "As tempting as that sounds," he replied dryly, "I don't think so. I will, however, heal you." When his roommate made no move to disrobe, he motioned to Shunsui's gi. "That means I need to see the damage."

"You know, that sounds like an excuse for getting me to take my clothes off," Shunsui joked flirtatiously. As he unwrapped the top, Juushiro could see dark bruises mottling his skin. "You sure you don't want to kiss it?"

"Kyoraku, you're drunk," Juushiro said severely. "Just because I'm the only person around doesn't mean you need to flirt with me. You will regret this in the morning." At least, he would if Juushiro took him up on any of the offers.

"Will not," Shunsui muttered petulantly. But he pulled the gi off without further commentary. Juushiro sucked in a breath at the extent of the bruising. "It's not as bad as it looks," Shunsui said bravely. But he flinched when Juushiro ran a gentle finger along his abdomen. "Okay, maybe it is," he added breathlessly.

Juushiro looked up at him, emerald eyes dark with worry. "You really should see a healer for this," he pointed out. "You've got at least two broken ribs, and more are probably fractured."

Shunsui grinned crookedly at him. "I trust you to fix it."

Juushiro shook his head in exasperation. "Fine, be that way."

"Maybe I just want your hands on me," Shunsui added playfully. When Juushiro looked at him with narrowed eyes, he lifted his hands innocently. "What? I can't help it!"

Juushiro sighed. _Kyoraku, I don't understand you. Do you flirt with anything that moves when you're drunk? Because I sincerely doubt that you are actually interested in me_. He rolled his eyes. "Just hold still." He pressed both hands against Shunsui's ribs, making the bigger man yelp and squirm backwards. "I said hold still," Juushiro admonished. Flattening his hands again against his roommate's torso, he began muttering the words for the healing kido. Green energy bloomed around his hands and sank into Shunsui's skin, haloing them both in a soft glow.

Shunsui remained in place by sheer force of will as bone grated against bone inside his rib cage. Juushiro patiently fed the kido drabs of his reiatsu, keeping the flow as smooth and even as possible. The bones reformed agonizingly slowly. Sweat was dripping off of Shunsui by the time Juushiro lifted his hands, and the brunette was pale-faced and shaking.

"Note to self: don't get caught by Shiba again," he croaked when he could speak.

Juushiro chuckled. "Good plan." He ran his hands over Shunsui's ribs, probing with clinical fingers, and Shunsui hissed in a breath. "This is set well, but I couldn't heal all of it. Take it easy for a week or so, alright? If you re-break these, it'll be much harder to heal them."

Shunsui laid his hand over one of Juushiro's, trapping it against his skin. "Thank you," he murmured. Then a mischievous grin lit his features. "Now, are you absolutely, positively sure I can't get just one kiss? For good luck?"

Juushiro blinked as he stared up at his roommate's dark, earnest eyes. Despite the alcohol coursing through Shunsui's bloodstream, the flamboyant student seemed to know exactly what he was asking. A half-smile tugged at his lips, while a curl of sweat-soaked brown hair fell over one eye. Without really thinking about it, Juushiro reached up and brushed it out of the way, then let his hand fall back to his side. Shunsui still hadn't let go of the other, and his skin felt blazingly hot against Juushiro's fingers.

 _You really shouldn't even be thinking about this_ , Juushiro admonished himself sternly. _It's not honorable to take advantage of a drunk comrade, no matter how tempting it may be. Besides, you'll both regret it in the morning_. He shook his head. Were the fumes from Shunsui's robe affecting his judgement? While he had to admit that his roommate was physically rather attractive, there was no reason for him to allow that to cloud his judgement.

Shunsui's lips quirked. "You're thinking about it, aren't you?" he teased.

Juushiro pulled his hand away. "I'm just checking to make sure that I didn't miss any bone fragments while healing you," he huffed, feeling blood rush to his cheeks.

Shunsui grinned. "Sure you are." He ran his fingers through his hair. "So, healer-mine, am I fit for life now?" He struck an outrageous pose, then yelped as it pulled at abused muscles.

Juushiro concealed a smile with his hand. "Like I said, take it easy for a week or so. If you feel any pain – not something aching, but true pain – let me know immediately."

Shunsui grinned. "Well, that's a relief." He reached out and recaptured Juushiro's hand, pulling it to his chest. "But you're making me feel so unwanted here, Juu-chan!"

"Juu-chan?" Juushiro inquired, unsure whether to be amused or outraged. "I am not your little anything, Kyoraku."

Shunsui beamed at him. "Aww, but you're so cute, especially when you're blushing! And…" He pressed his hand over his heart. "You're still making me feel so unwanted."

Juushiro glared at him, cheeks scarlet, and reclaimed his hand. "You are clearly too drunk to think straight," he informed his roommate. Though he attempted to keep his tone stern, the corners of his lips twitched.

Shunsui flopped back on his cot and threw his arms out wide. "Oh, I fear I may expire for lack of love," he proclaimed, pressing the back of his hand to his forehead. "Whatever shall I do?"

Juushiro threw a pillow at him. "Go to sleep, idiot," he chided fondly. "You'll see things differently in the morning." _And you'll be glad I didn't take you up on your offer then_.

Shunsui sighed. "Alright, fine. But…" He lifted his head up and winked at Juushiro. "If you ever find yourself wanting to console your poor, lonely roommate over here…"

Another pillow to the face shut him up.

* * *

 **Author's Note** : Thank you all for the lovely reviews, they really brightened up my week!


	7. Crimson Questions

**Chapter 7: Crimson Questions  
**

 _Another day, another boring hakuda lesson_ , Shunsui thought tiredly. _Why does it have to be so early in the morning?_ He rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands, wishing that he had gotten another few bells of sleep. _Though I don't regret staying up as late as I did, Suzume was gorgeous!_ He grinned as he recalled the way her ebony hair had flowed over her bare shoulders as she gave him a teasing, come-hither look. _No, I don't regret that in the slightest_.

He assumed a sloppy horse stance in the line across from Juushiro, hiding a yawn behind his hand. His roommate rolled his eyes in exasperation. Shunsui ignored the expression. Every hakuda class began the same way for the two of them, with Shunsui exhausted and Juushiro resigned to – and a bit appalled by – the situation. Not that Juushiro had given up – he still urged Shunsui to change his ways, but he knew he was fighting a losing battle. So he settled for victories where he could.

 _If not for him, I'd probably be failing_ , Shunsui acknowledged ruefully. _I probably wouldn't have done any homework at all this year, what with all the extra freedom as a fourth year, if he didn't work with me on it until I finished_. He smiled gratefully at Juushiro, who gave him a startled smile in return. _I don't know why you put up with me, but I'm glad you do_.

Kichiro-sensei called out a pattern number, and the pairs of students began a set of strikes and blocks. Their teacher walked up and down the line, pointing out errors with the help of a long wooden rod that he used to correct stance and foot placement. _At least we're doing more than basics now_ , Shunsui sighed to himself. _It's easier to stay awake when we aren't doing hundreds of front punches in a row_.

And easier to focus now that his ribs had healed, though that didn't improve his skill much. Shunsui had just fumbled a block for the fifth time when a blast of reiatsu split the air. They all looked up in surprise, eyes wide. Ryuu squeaked in an undignified manner, blushed, and looked around as if nothing had happened. Rei snickered. "What's going on?" Taro asked softly. Other flares echoed all around them as confused students summoned their own power.

Kichiro-sensei frowned. Laying aside the stick he used to point out corrections, he said slowly, "I don't know."

Shunsui tipped his head to one side. "I didn't recognize that," he pointed out. "Anyone else?" The power had been redolent of dust and foreign spices, leaving an odd taste in the air even after it died down. But the traces had already vanished under the onslaught of the reiatsu of the other students.

Rei shook her head. "That wasn't a student, I think. Way too powerful."

"That was a shikai release," Kichiro-sensei said curtly. "An uncontrolled one."

Another explosion of reiatsu sent shock waves through the dojo. Shunsui gritted his teeth as the heavy power smashed through him. Beside him, Juushiro exhaled sharply. The other students grimaced, several taking steps backwards as the power intensified. "Damn, that's strong," Shunsui breathed.

Kichiro sighed. "I can see I won't get any more work out of you with this going on."

"Can we go see what's going on?" Ryuu asked eagerly. "That feels like it's coming from nearby!"

Kichiro frowned, shifting his weight from side to side. "Fine," he said slowly, "but you are not to interfere." Before the last words left his mouth, they were streaming towards the door. Kichiro rolled his eyes and followed at a more sedate pace.

"What do you think is happening?" Ryuu blurted out to Shunsui, trotting at his side. "Is it an attack?"

"Nah," Shunsui replied casually. "Just one person? And we haven't felt any of our teachers flare." Behind them, Kichiro-sensei's reiatsu felt annoyed, not alarmed. Did he know something?

"Well, come on, then!" Ryuu said excitedly. He broke into a run as soon as they got outside the dojo, heading towards the main offices.

A third blast of chilly power licked through the air, and a pillar of stone shot up from behind the buildings. Everyone started sprinting. Shunsui heard Juushiro's breath catch, and spared a moment to worry about his roommate, but the pale student ran at the same ground-covering lope as the rest of them. Shunsui shrugged and dismissed his concerns. It wasn't as if they had to run that far.

The group rounded a corner and skidded to a halt, spreading out so everyone had an unobstructed view. A massive pillar of granite sparkled in the sunlight in front of them, jutting out of the ground in front of the office building. A young man clad in a patched, homespun tunic stood in front of it, holding a glowing spear with casual competence. His wavy brown hair reached his muscular shoulders, and his dark eyes – or, at least, the one not swollen shut with bruising – glittered with determination. "What the hell?" Hikaru asked in shock.

The young man turned when he heard them, eyes narrowed. But he made no move to attack. Shunsui caught a whiff of Yamamoto-sensei's fiery reiatsu from beyond him, and relaxed fractionally. If the head of their school wasn't attacking, this man couldn't be a threat. _So why is there a giant stone cylinder sitting in the middle of the yard?_ Shunsui eyed it more closely. _Yep, definitely stone. Did he create it?_ The stranger certainly emanated the dark, dense reiatsu that had shocked the students earlier. Up close, the scent of dust, like parched rock and desert sands, was stronger.

"Control yourself, youngster." Yamamoto's dry voice came from behind the pillar. The young man turned obediently, furling his reiatsu. The watching students exhaled with relief as the pressure lifted. Shunsui pulled his own power back in as well, now that it was no longer needed to resist the force of the stranger's energy, and felt Juushiro did the same.

"Well, if you wanted an audience, you have one," the old man continued. He strolled out of the doorway of the office building, leaning heavily on his cane. "Was that your goal?"

The stranger shook his head. "No, sir," he replied politely. "I just wanted to show ya the power of my Ishikiru."

Yamamoto snorted. "Impudent youngster. But you have my attention. How did you achieve shikai?"

"That's his shikai?" Ryuu hissed. "Nice!" Shunsui nodded in agreement. _A zanpakuto that controls rock? That's a powerful weapon. Though I thought Kichiro-sensei said that the release was uncontrolled?_ The pillar of rock looked deliberate enough to Shunsui.

The stranger shrugged stiffly. "I dunno, sir. I heard his name when hollows attacked my village and started killin' everybody in sight. I was tryin' to fight them off when he offered to help, told me what to do."

Ryuu poked Shunsui in the side. "Did you hear that? I don't think he's a noble!"

"He's definitely not," Shunsui murmured back. "Hear his accent? And look at his clothes. No noble would wear something like that." _Not even one fallen into poverty would wear something so obviously worn and stained with gore_. So how had he gotten shikai? Only members of noble clans could possess zanpakuto , and many never achieved the level of power necessary for shikai. How had a commoner managed it? Had he stolen a zanpakuto? Shunsui bit his lip as envy surged within him. Why could a lowborn stranger figure out shikai, when most nobles couldn't? All around him, other students whispered to one another as they came to the same realizations he had.

Shunsui glanced to his left to see Juushiro watching the chaos with a serene visage. "Aren't you worried?" he hissed.

Juushiro shook his head, chuckling. "Why would I be?"

"A commoner having that sort of power?" Shunsui replied. _We rule because of our strength_ , he thought soberly. _If we lose that, the Soul Society will dissolve into chaos_. A single commoner with shikai had the potential to upset the entire power balance of the Soul Society. _If the commoners can match our strength, what will prevent that chaos from taking over?_

Juushiro looked at him soberly. "Better him than someone like Shiba-san, no?" He sighed. "Though I predict that this will cause no end of trouble." Shunsui nodded slowly. _The noble clans will be furious_ , he thought wryly. _Father among them_.

Yamamoto banged his staff on the ground, releasing a fraction of his reiatsu. The gathered crowd took a step back as the burning energy washed over them. "Enough," the old man barked. He turned to the stranger. "You clearly possess sufficient power to study here," he intoned. "Though you do not have the bloodlines, I feel that training you to use that power is better than allowing it to rage unchecked. Your request is granted, on a probationary basis. What's your name?"

The young man bowed his head. "Koji Sato, sir." As he straightened up, his sleeve pulled back, revealed a crusted scab on his upper arm.

Yamamoto nodded, then turned back to the crowd, who watched him with wide eyes. "I present to you the newest student in the Academy: Koji Sato. Treat him as you would any other student in this Academy." He scanned the assembled crowd with narrowed eyes, clear warning in his tone. As the crowd broke into shocked and outraged conversation, Yamamoto gestured to the stranger. "Come with me." He strode back into the building, Koji following patiently behind him. He still held the spear in a comfortable grip, though it made maneuvering into the building difficult.

The door slid shut behind them, and Aono Kira burst out, "This is outrageous! A commoner can't attend the Academy!"

Rei Kuchiki laughed lightly. "Don't worry too much about it, Kira-san. He'll fail within a week. No peasant is smart enough to handle the classes here. I'm surprised he got through the gates, though, I thought they were supposed to keep the riffraff out." Shunsui eyed the buxom blonde, but she seemed perfectly serious. The confidence in her voice mirrored the certainty in his brother Seiichi's tone whenever he held forth on matters of state. He wondered if she knew more than his brother usually did – Seiichi liked to think that he had mastered every topic under the sun, and only reluctantly admitted ignorance.

"I don't know about that," Hikaru demurred. "You all felt the strength of his reiatsu." Taro nodded in agreement, face solemn.

"How'd a commoner get so strong, anyway?" Ryuu asked curiously.

They all turned to Kichiro-sensei, who stood behind them with an unreadable expression on his face. The older man shrugged. The scars on his face creased into deeper lines as he replied, "Sometimes a soul will possess unusual spirit energy in the world of the living. That can, in theory, carry over when they pass into the Soul Society. Koji Sato is likely one of those souls."

"Strong reiatsu I can understand, but shikai?" Aono bit out. "Half the nobility can't achieve that!"

Kichiro-sensei sighed. "True. But we don't understand what allows some people to find the name of their zanpakuto, while others never hear it. It's not simply a level of power, I believe, but desire."

"And desperation," Taro added quietly.

Kichiro nodded at him. "Yes, desperation often leads to the first shikai release." He stared at the closed door where the stranger and Yamamoto had vanished. "That certainly appears to be the case here."

"So he's strong," Rei said dismissively. "That doesn't mean he deserves a place here. I bet he can't even read or write."

"Is that a reason to disqualify him?" Juushiro asked softly. "He can learn, just as we all learned. We may have had the benefit of teaching from an early age, where he did not, but that doesn't mean he's not intelligent." Most of the group eyed him skeptically, but he just smiled calmly back at them.

Rei rolled her eyes. "How's he supposed to take classes, if he can't read? He'll fail within a month, tops."

Shunsui studied his classmate, puzzled by the sheer certainty in her voice. She didn't sound arrogant or condescending, simply confident in her understanding of the situation. "Why are you so sure he can't?" he questioned.

The noble girl shrugged. "How many peasants do you know who can read? I don't think they're even capable of learning." Her tone was matter-of-fact.

To Shunsui, that wasn't quite a fair argument. _Where would they ever learn to read?_ he asked silently. _They don't need it, usually. But that doesn't mean they can't learn it_. But he had to admit that she had a point. How would a commoner without basic schooling handle the advanced curriculum of the Academy? Would he even be smart enough to pass the classes? During his various escapades – usually involving copious amounts of alcohol – he'd met a number of common laborers. _And they never seemed too intelligent, did they?_ a little voice whispered in his head. _They were more interested in drinking beer and groping the waitresses than anything else_.

 _And were you interested in anything different, at that moment?_ a different voice asked pointedly. It sounded suspiciously like Juushiro. Shunsui rolled his eyes, wondered when he'd acquired a copy of his roommate's personality in his head. _Don't I already have enough voices in there?_ he asked plaintively.

This time, a woman's voice answered him with a snicker. _Maybe you'd have fewer if you stopped thinking such stupid things_.

 _Not helping_ , he told her silently, resisting the childish urge to stick his tongue out at her. He might have given in if she had been physically present, but he couldn't figure out a way to stick out his tongue at a bodiless voice inside his head.

Rei's eyes narrowed when he didn't respond to her question immediately. "See?" she drawled. "It's vanishingly unlikely that he can read, and without that?" She shrugged. "He won't be able to keep up." Shunsui's eyes narrowed, recalling that Gorou had said the same thing of Juushiro, but before he could reply, Hikaru spoke.

"That's not the biggest question here," the sandy-haired student pointed out. "I'm more curious about that weapon of his."

Aono nodded emphatically. "The law forbids the use of zanpakuto by commoners. How did he acquire one in the first place?"

Surprisingly, it was Taro who answered. "Some souls can manifest a zanpakuto," he explained calmly. "An asauchi is not required. Often, a tool or weapon that is used every day becomes the vehicle for the zanpakuto spirit. The creation of asauchi simply makes the process easier. Before swordsmiths discovered the techniques that embed reiatsu into a sword, only weapons that had been exposed to high levels of a person's reiatsu over a long period of time were capable of cleansing hollows." He looked around the circle. "Now, any asauchi can cleanse a hollow, but only some asauchi develop into named zanpakuto. On the other hand, some ordinary weapons, infused with their wielder's reiatsu, are able to perform the cleansing."

Ryuu bounced up and down on his toes. "How do you know that?" he asked excitedly.

Taro shrugged modestly. "I found it while researching in the library." Shunsui eyed the sturdy student curiously, but Taro's expression revealed only calm patience. _Does he realize the import of what he just explained?_ Shunsui wondered. _If he's telling the truth, anyone – no matter their bloodline – could gain a zanpakuto. So why do we only see nobles wielding them? Is it because, as Father says, we're simply born to rule?_

"Kannogi-san is correct," Kichiro-sensei informed them all. "However, there are no recorded instances of a commoner obtaining a zanpakuto spirit. It is widely theorized that the zanpakuto spirits are a gift from the Soul King's bloodlines, which is why only the nobility possess them. Possibly Koji Sato has a trace of royal blood somewhere in his line." Shunsui nodded slowly as their sensei unknowingly answered his question.

Then he glanced over at Juushiro, who had remained uncharacteristically silent throughout the exchange. The white-haired student caught his gaze and tipped his head to one side inquiringly. "What do you think?" Shunsui asked softly.

"I think that a commoner who realized that they held a zanpakuto would conceal that power as best they could," Juushiro replied in a hushed tone. "Many nobles would execute such a person based on the belief that they must have stolen the weapon." He smiled wryly. "It's not safe to be too powerful."

"Unless you have shikai," Shunsui murmured back. "I guess Sato-san decided that the risk of revealing his strength was worth it." Glancing at the towering pillar of rock, Shunsui could understand why. Anyone with a zanpakuto capable of producing that without training would be a formidable opponent. _I hope he's on our side_ , he thought wryly. _I wouldn't want to face him in battle_.

Juushiro sighed, looking around at the knots of people arguing furiously with each other all around the courtyard. "I hope he knows what he's doing," he told Shunsui quietly. "Most of the people here will not be pleased to have him as a classmate. They can make your life very hard if they don't approve of you, without ever lifting a finger." Shunsui winced at his roommate's matter-of-fact tone, knowing that Juushiro spoke from personal experience.

"Do you think Kichiro-sensei is right?" Shunsui asked softly, as Rei and Aono cornered the older man with more questions.

"About what?" Juushiro replied, puzzled.

Shunsui shrugged. "The theory that only descendants of the line of the Soul King can possess zanpakutos." It made sense to him, at least. _Every noble family has at least a trace of royal blood; the five great houses have the most, and the lesser nobility have less, but we all have it_. If Koji Sato was some lord's by-blow, that would explain the strength of his shikai. _Maybe his mother fell in love with some noble son, and ended up pregnant_ , Shunsui guessed. _Maybe Sato-san doesn't know who his father is_.

So he was surprised when Juushiro shook his head. "I don't think that's true," he murmured in a low tone, so soft that Shunsui had to lean in to hear. "It's a lovely theory, but it doesn't make sense."

"Why not?" Shunsui asked in bemusement.

Juushiro smiled wryly. "Because I'm almost positive that my family has no connection to the Soul King's bloodlines, and my father certainly has a zanpakuto." Shunsui stared at him in shock, and Juushiro elaborated, "My grandfather was given a noble title due to his heroism in the Flower Wars. He was a division commander for the Kannogi clan, and a brilliant strategist. As far as I know, we can't trace our ancestry back to any noble of the Soul King's court, much less the Soul King himself."

"That doesn't make any sense," Shunsui muttered. "If zanpakutos are not a gift from the Soul King's blood, why haven't we seen more commoners with them? Are you sure you don't have any vestige of his bloodlines in your family?" It wouldn't explain why, out of their entire class, the pale student was one of the strongest, but maybe the distance of the connection didn't determine strength. _Maybe it just determines if you can have a zanpakuto, and then something else dictates the strength of your reiatsu_.

Juushiro lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. "Not completely sure, no, but…" He trailed off, shaking his head. "Let's just say there's almost no chance that I do." He looked at Shunsui seriously, and lowered his voice further. "As for your first question, have you considered what would happen if a commoner did reveal that they had manifested a zanpakuto?"

Shunsui paused for a second to think about it, and grimaced. "Best case, he'd be drafted to serve as a guard for whatever noble discovered him," he said grimly. "Worse case…"

"Worst case, he'd be killed on the spot," Juushiro completed. "Unless he was particularly powerful, the way Sato appears to be. That level of power is rare among nobles, and surely even more so among commoners. So, even if other commoners have manifested a zanpakuto spirit, they would be unlikely to inform any of the nobility." His fingers lightly tapped the hilt of his own zanpakuto, as if unconsciously seeking reassurance from its comforting presence.

Shunsui nodded slowly. _Only the top officers of each division have shikai, and that's only four or five people per division. Maybe thirty in the whole Gotei. A commoner as strong as Sato-san must be a once-in-a-generation kind of occurrence_. Given that, and combined with the enormous area that the nobility ruled, he could understand why they lacked records of commoner-owned zanpakuto.

Juushiro glanced over at Kichiro-sensei, whose reiatsu bore evidence of his growing impatience. "This isn't a safe topic," he warned softly. "Let's talk about it later."

Shunsui nodded, just as Kichiro-sensei threw up his hands. "No, I don't know what class Sato-san will be in, nor do I know what the nobles who sponsor this academy will do," he bit out curtly. "But I do know that we're supposed to be in class, and we're wasting time."

Rei, Aono, and Hikaru bowed, chastened. Taro and Mika looked up from their conversation, blinked, then hurried over to the group. Shunsui and Juushiro followed suit. Kichiro-sensei grunted in approval before turning and leading the way back to the dojo.

As he returned to the mind-numbing series of blocks, Shunsui couldn't help but wonder about the implications of Koji's revelation. _If Ukitake is right, and the Soul King's blood is not necessary for the possession of a zanpakuto, what happens now? Will the commoners try to revolt and form their own government?_ He shivered. _Father wouldn't be pleased with that at all_. Shunsui had no doubt that the nobility – highly trained and skilled in all forms of combat – would win such an altercation, but it wouldn't be pretty. _I hope someone figures out a way to avoid that_ , he thought worriedly. _But I have no idea what it could be_.

* * *

 **Author's Note** : Shoutout to EmpressSaix for the thoughtful, detailed reviews on the past couple chapters! Work has been kicking my butt lately, so seeing those reviews really made my day and encouraged me to keep writing. Let's just say being a software programmer isn't always glamorous... and sometimes involves far more meetings than code...

On that note, the next few chapters may be delayed. I'm traveling to Utah this upcoming weekend, and then the next weekend flying to Tel Aviv for a week-long work trip. I will do my best to get you chapters, but I hope you can forgive me if a few of them don't quite land on schedule!


	8. Cracks in the Foundation

**Chapter 8: Cracks in the Foundation**

By lunchtime, whispers circulated through the Academy, spreading like a plague through the crowded halls. Everywhere Juushiro turned, another student was asking, "Did you hear?" or, "Did you see that?" The news even disrupted the classes, as inattentive students focused on gossip rather than the lesson.

But all the chatter brought one useful piece of information to light: apparently, Koji was not born in the Soul Society. Instead, he had joined his village as a young adult after his death in the living world. Like the many thousands of souls who entered the Soul Society after death, he remembered nothing of his prior life, but the facts were indisputable: Koji Sato had no way of possessing noble blood.

"Well, so much for Kichiro-sensei's theory," Shunsui told Juushiro dryly as they waited in line to get their lunch.

Juushiro sighed heavily. "It wasn't just his theory," he reminded his roommate quietly. "Almost every scholar I've read espouses it, or some variety. They have differing explanations for the varying strength of the wielders, but it all boils down to the same thing – noble blood is necessary for someone to have a zanpakuto." His mouth twisted. "Which is clearly proven untrue, now."

None of the students around them appeared to have made that connection, however. Their speculation revolved around the scandal of his low birth, not the ramifications it had to arcane theory. _That's a good thing_ , Juushiro thought sardonically. _If any of them realized that a large part of their claim to power had just been falsified, there'd be a riot. At least now they can be scandalized but remain sure of their place in the world_.

Shunsui, on the other hand, understood the implications immediately. "Let's go back to our room," he suggested. Juushiro nodded. _I don't want to discuss this where anyone can overhear_.

They collected bento boxes – today containing rice, nori, and umeboshi – and headed back to their dorm at a leisurely pace. Juushiro could sense Shunsui's tension from the way his reiatsu coiled tightly around him, but the lazy student had gotten better at controlling it. Only a few tendrils licked out to taste the air around them.

 _I wish I knew a silencing kido_ , Juushiro thought to himself as he slid the door shut behind them. _Something like Kyakko, but to bend sound instead of light_. It had to exist somewhere. _And if it doesn't, I wonder if I could create it_. Shihoin-sensei always told them that experimentation with kido was potentially deadly, and forbidden to everyone except the kido corps, but a simple kido couldn't be that dangerous. _Of course, Byakurai is a simple kido, and it basically creates lightning, so maybe that's not true_. It would be far safer to research in the archives, and see if such a spell already existed.

Shunsui dropped onto the edge of his desk, staring at Juushiro expectantly. "So?" he asked impatiently. "You looked like you had something you wanted to say. Do you have a theory for what actually creates a zanpakuto, or something?"

Juushiro couldn't help laughing at the unexpected question. "I'm hardly an expert on zanpakutos," he pointed out dryly. "Kannogi-san knows more than I do; you should ask him." Though he did have a few ideas.

Shunsui shook his head soberly. "He's from a powerful family," he started.

"So are you," Juushiro reminded him.

The flamboyant student rolled his eyes. "And my family wishes every day that I wasn't. It's different. Anyway, I don't know if he'd be happy to realize that noble blood has nothing to do with spiritual power. After all, it's what we're told as kids, growing up, that we should have power because of our bloodlines."

Juushiro eyed him skeptically. "You seem to be taking it calmly," he noted.

Shunsui shrugged. "Calmly? Maybe. This is going to cause a lot of trouble, if the word gets out and more people make the connection. Our reiatsu strength and our ability to cleanse hollows are two of the main reasons why we rule. I suspect that a lot of nobles are going to be very unhappy about this."

 _That's certainly true_ , Juushiro thought to himself. _None of them will see this as a fascinating question, but as a threat to be destroyed_. "Which means Sato-san may be in a lot of trouble," he said slowly. _No one would dare to anything outright, not after what Yamamoto-soutaicho said. But 'accidents' can happen_.

His roommate seemed to be thinking along the same lines, judging by his sick expression. "The cat's out of the bag now," Shunsui pointed out. "They can't just kill him and pretend that he never existed, not after his very public shikai release in the middle of the Academy." He scooped up a mouthful of rice, hastily swallowed, and continued, "Everyone here knows about him, and I suspect every noble out there will know soon enough." As he spoke, he gestured emphatically with his chopsticks, ignoring the grains of rice that flew off of them.

Juushiro absently brushed a bit of rice off his hakama as he considered Shunsui's words. "But they don't need to make him vanish to remove the problem," he countered, tapping his chopsticks on the unopened lid of his bento box. "They simply need to discredit him in some way, so they can prove that commoners will never be as good as the nobility." He frowned. _And that wouldn't be too hard. If the teachers – who are all noble, and most from powerful clans – agree, the nobility wouldn't have to do anything at all. He'll simply fail his classes and get kicked out of here_. If that occurred, the experiment would be deemed a failure, and no more commoners would be permitted to attend the Academy. It would silence any agitators for change and solidify the nobles' sense of superiority all in one stroke.

He said as much to Shunsui, who wrinkled his nose. "That would hardly be honorable," the flamboyant student objected. Then he grimaced. "But then, I guess a lot of them haven't really proven themselves to be too honorable, have they?" Juushiro shook his head soberly. Judging by his roommate's sour expression, he was thinking of Gorou Shiba's idiocy – Shunsui got a particular crease between his eyebrows whenever the sixth year's name was mentioned. _But Shiba's not the only one_ , he reminded his roommate silently. _There are plenty of other nobles whose moral code is, shall we say, flexible_. He knew that Shunsui knew the truth of that, probably better than Juushiro did, if he was honest with himself. _After all, he grew up with them, whereas most of what I know comes from my father_. He bit his lip. _Though my experiences with them here do not speak highly of their character either_.

Then again, he highly respected the teachers who he knew. When the students had ostracized him for his illness and low status, the teachers had never shown the slightest signs of partisanship. _They didn't intervene, but neither did they support the other students_. Juushiro nibbled on his lip before finally opening his lunch box. _They could have done much worse, but they didn't. Shihoin-sensei even gave me a job in her research group_. He bit into a pickled plum, tapping his fingers on his leg. _I can't see her allowing Koji Sato to be hounded out of the Academy; she's tough, but fair_. The gorgeous kido teacher had no patience for slackers, but if you were trying your best, she respected that. _And look at the way Kichiro-sensei has treated Kuchiki-san and Fujimoto-san. He obviously disapproves of their presence in the combative classes, but he supports their efforts nonetheless_.

"You know, I don't think our teachers would support such an effort," he said slowly.

Shunsui snorted cynically. "Sometimes I think you're too optimistic. Not everyone is a good person, you know," he pointed out sardonically.

"But I believe that our teachers are," Juushiro countered firmly. "Can you really tell me that you think Shihoin-sensei or Kichiro-sensei would penalize a student simply for his birth?"

Shunsui glanced away. Toying with the remains of his lunch, he muttered, "I guess not." He hesitated, then added, "But that doesn't mean others won't. There will be a lot of pressure on some of them, especially the ones dependent on the good will of their clans, to do something about Sato-san."

Juushiro nodded. "I know."

His roommate raised an eyebrow. "Do you really?" He prodded a piece of plum moodily. "You didn't grow up in a high noble family; it's different there. Clan and family mean everything to us. If you defy your family, you could lose everything." His mouth twisted, and he muttered subvocally, "I should know."

Juushiro studied the disconsolate student, realizing how little he really knew about his roommate. Sometimes Shunsui acted as if he didn't have a care in the world, and sometimes it seemed like the entire world rested on his shoulders. _Kyoraku, is your relationship with your family really that bad?_ he wondered silently. True, he had never seen his roommate send a letter to his family, and he never spoke about them, but he always had plenty of spending money. _And where else could that come from, but your father?_ It puzzled Juushiro, who hated to see anyone in as much pain as Shunsui occasionally revealed.

But then Shunsui pushed away his black mood and gave Juushiro a dazzling smile. "But maybe you're right, maybe our senseis do have a bit of backbone to them after all. Or..." He smirked. "Maybe they just won't want to get on the wrong side of Yamamoto-sensei. Can you imagine any of them standing up to the old man?" Widening his eyes, he shivered theatrically. "No thanks!"

Juushiro nodded slowly. "They'll be caught between a rock and an inferno, which means they'll probably do the bare minimum to satisfy both sides." Like how they treated him in the beginning – fairly, but certainly doing nothing to make him feel welcome.

Was that truly fair, though? He'd had to work twice as hard as the other students just to prove that he belonged, and surely Koji would be in the same boat. Juushiro had no illusions about the struggles the commoner would endure, purely because he didn't have the luck to be born to a noble family. Was that actually justice?

He bit his lip. _That doesn't sit right, somehow. He should get the same chance as the rest of us. He shouldn't have to be better than anyone here just to get the bare minimum of respect_.

Shunsui reached out and gently tugged a lock of Juushiro's hair. "You look like you're a million miles away," he teased. "I know that look. What are you thinking?"

"That it's not fair for Sato-san to be penalized for something he can't control," Juushiro replied, still nibbling on his lip. "There has to be something we can do to fix that."

Shunsui poked him. "Yeah, okay, so it's not fair. But it's not like we can arrange for him to be adopted into a noble house or something." He snorted. "I can just see my father's reaction if I brought home a stray commoner – he'd be livid." The flamboyant student rolled his eyes. "Not shocked, though, I don't think I can shock him anymore." He poked Juushiro again.

Juushiro trapped Shunsui's hand in a light wrist lock and narrowed his eyes at the other student. "This isn't a game, you know."

Shunsui broke the lock by rotating away, then dropped his hands in his lap. "So what do you want to do?" He lifted an eyebrow, grey eyes fixed on Juushiro as he waited for a response.

Juushiro hesitated. What was the best course of action here? He couldn't do anything about the teachers, and there was certainly nothing he could do to improve the attitudes of the other students. Shunsui might have better luck there, but even his charm was a weak weapon against entrenched attitudes of superiority.

Maybe they could do something to undermine those attitudes, though. If they could discover the true source of the shinigami's power, they might be able to prove that commoners could be just as powerful as nobles. _The nobles will have to listen to reason then, right?_

When he said as much to Shunsui, however, his roommate scoffed. "We're just fourth years. It's one thing to speculate, but why is it our responsibility to prove to everyone that their precious theory is wrong?"

"First of all, we have all the proof we need for that," Juushiro corrected patiently. Shunsui rolled his eyes as Juushiro continued, "I don't want to prove the theory wrong; I want to figure out what the truth actually is."

Shunsui gave him a dry look. "Again, why is it our responsibility?" He tossed his chopsticks into his bento box and set it aside. Rising from his desk, he began to pace back and forth, never taking his eyes off of Juushiro.

The white-haired student hesitated. _I need to phrase this exactly right_ … But eloquence had deserted him. So he said, simply, "Maybe it's not our responsibility, but we have the ability to do something about it. Doesn't that mean we should?" He twisted his hands in his lap, meal forgotten. _It's the reason why I came here, why I want to be a soul reaper. We've been given these powers for a reason, and it's up to us to use them properly_. He couldn't imagine having such power and not utilizing it.

Juushiro glanced up to see Shunsui staring at him with an odd look on his face. "You really think we can do something about this?" the bigger student asked, a wondering note in his tone. "We're really only fourth years." A trace of skepticism lingered in his voice, but mostly his tone held honest curiosity.

Juushiro nodded resolutely. "I do. We might not be able to do it alone, but we can make a difference." That had been his belief ever since he recovered from his illness. _Everyone is important, and everyone can make a difference if they try hard enough_. He knew it was optimistic, but he didn't care. _Let them call me foolish, if they want. I'll still try to make the world a better place_.

To his relief, Shunsui didn't immediately burst out laughing. Instead, the other student nodded slowly. "I don't know what we can do, but I guess it can't hurt to try." He stopped pacing, reclining against the edge of his desk. With his eyes half-shut, Juushiro couldn't tell what he was thinking. Silence reigned for a long moment before Shunsui asked tentatively, "So what do you think we should do?"

"Visit the archives," Juushiro replied immediately. "We need more information. I can't believe that Sato-san is the first commoner to manifest a zanpakuto; there must have been others. And I want to see if there's a pattern among the nobles who have found the names of their zanpakuto." It would provide a starting point for further research, at least. Juushiro had no illusions that this would be an easy question to answer. _In fact, we may never figure out the real explanation for the existence of zanpakutos. But we can surely get a better answer than we have now_.

Shunsui wrinkled his nose. "That sounds like it will take forever. What about our homework?" he protested.

Juushiro blinked at that, surprised that the notoriously lazy student had raised that particular objection. "This is more important that homework," he replied firmly. _Besides, I don't think you really care about the homework; you just don't want to dig through mounds of dusty chronicles_.

"More important than homework?" Shunsui teased, chuckling. "I didn't think I'd ever hear you say that." Juushiro gave him a dirty look, and he grinned unrepentantly. "What? It's true!"

"You're just trying to get out of the tedious research," Juushiro accused him, with no little accuracy.

Shunsui lifted his hands into the air. "Caught." His grin widened when Juushiro glared at him. "But I'll help, don't worry."

Juushiro sighed, tempted to smack his roommate for the insouciant smile plastered across his face, but restrained himself. After all, he did say that he would help. "In that case, we should start as soon as we finish Kichiro-sensei's essay on the tactics used during the battle of Shigisen."

Shunsui groaned theatrically. "Do we have to?" he whined, flopping onto his bed with arms outspread.

Juushiro threw a pillow at him. "Yes, we do."

His roommate flinched and covered his head with his arms. "Okay, okay, I'll do it," he yelped, curling into a ball. He uncurled a second later and gave Juushiro a playful grin. "But only if you stay here and help me. I couldn't possibly concentrate without your brilliant presence."

Juushiro, cheeks flaming at Shunsui's outrageously flirtatious tone, threw up his hands. "Fine, I'll help you, but you'd better stay focused," he warned, attempting to sound stern. The pretense was partly spoiled by the laughter threatening to bubble up inside him, but he gave it his best shot.

Shunsui waved a dismissive hand at him. "Of course I'll stay focused! When have I ever…" He trailed off at Juushiro's sardonic look. "Wait, actually, don't answer that." His tone lacked any hint of repentance.

Juushiro rolled his eyes. "Get to work, Kyoraku."

The flamboyant student began to pull out parchment and ink, then paused. "Wait a second. How are we getting into the archives, anyway? We're only allowed into the top level of the library, and I doubt it has the information we need."

"Easy." Juushiro grinned at his roommate's puzzled look. "We just need permission from a teacher." He paused for dramatic effect, then added, "And I've got the perfect excuse."

* * *

"Sensei, may I have permission to access the archives?" Juushiro asked politely, kneeling in front of Shihoin-sensei's desk in her office.

The elegant woman tossed her violet hair over her shoulder as she peered at Juushiro. "What for?" she asked curiously.

Juushiro bowed his head. "I have a variant on Kyakko that I'd like to research, and you always say that tinkering with kido is dangerous. I'd like to see if anyone has created this variant, and what the theoretical energy flows might be."

Shihoin-sensei lifted an eyebrow. "And what would this variant do?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I think there should be a way to bend sound, in the same manner Kyakko bends light. They are both insubstantial substances, and both can be created by kido, so I should be able to manipulate them the same way." He had spent several bells sketching out possible energy flow diagrams, and thought that he might actually have a modification that would work, but it was all theory at the moment. _And, considering the possible ways it could go wrong, I don't particularly want to put that theory into practice_. At least not at the moment.

His sensei narrowed her eyes. Leaning forward, she warned, "If you're thinking about experimenting, you don't have the training yet to do it on your own. I know you've learned some of the basic techniques working in the lab with my team, but that's not nearly sufficient."

Juushiro nodded. "I know." His work with her, aiding in her own researches, had taught him an immense amount, but he still hadn't learned enough. _I'd probably blow my eardrums out if I actually tried to build the silencing spells I was diagramming_ , he thought wryly. _But it'd be a fascinating project_. He intended to look into it further when he got the chance. "I don't intend to attempt any variations, but if one already exists, I'd like to see it. It would give me a better idea of the process kido masters use to design new spells." All true, as a matter of fact, though not the real reason why he needed access to the archives.

Shihoin-sensei leaned back on her heels, studying him with a penetrating expression. He did his best to maintain an innocent expression, though he could feel beads of sweat forming on his brow. "Any particular reason why you're interested in this variant?" she asked, seemingly casually.

He shrugged again. "I haven't run into it in any of the readings I've been doing, but it doesn't look too difficult." He reached into his gi and pulled out his notes. "If you look here and here," he indicated two equations, "it seems like the energy output should be equivalent to Kyakko." He flipped the page over, and continued, "And if you look here, I think this linkage should be enough to convince the kido to treat sound like light." He had noticed, while running his calculations, that the rare sound-based kido felt very similar to the light-based ones. _I think that sound and light might be made up of the same sort of thing – maybe a variant on reishi. We can create both of them by transmuting our own energy into them, so it stands to reason that they're energy constructs as well_. That was why fire and lightning kidos were so effective, while only zanpakutos – to the best of his knowledge – could manipulate substances like water or earth.

She trailed lacquered nails over his notes, nodding slowly. "These don't look half bad. You came up with all of this yourself?"

"Yes, sensei." For a moment, he wondered if she would be angry, but she just laughed.

"Good. I like to see initiative in my students." She nodded again. "I don't see any obvious fatal flaws, which is remarkable for an Academy student." Her tone turned wry as she added, "Most seated officers can't come close to this level of understanding."

Juushiro felt color flood his cheeks at the unexpected praise. "Thank you, sensei."

His mentor grinned. "Well, so long as you're not planning on blowing anything up, I see no reason why I can't give you a pass. It should be educational for you to research this, even if you don't find anything." She grabbed a piece of paper from a desk drawer, scribbling a hasty sentence on it. "Here. Present this to the librarians, and they should give you access to the lower levels."

He bowed gratefully as he accepted the paper. "Thank you, sensei," he said again, as the blush slowly receded.

She waved a hand dismissively. "Just don't destroy the building, alright?" Her chartreuse eyes gleamed with amusement, as though she knew something he didn't. _Hopefully that's not the case!_

Juushiro chuckled, rising and bowing again. "I won't, I promise." _And unless Kyoraku does something monumentally stupid, I think I can hold to that promise_.

* * *

The lower levels of the library were dusty and ill-lit. Footsteps showed clearly in the dust, evidence of the few people who accessed the tomes stored in the depths of the building. Juushiro held his sleeve over his mouth as he picked his way through the corridors, stepping carefully in a futile attempt to avoid stirring up any dust. _I have no desire to have a coughing fit now, thank you very much_.

Above him, a small glow light lit his way, product of a deceptively simple kido spell that Shihoin-sensei had shown him earlier in the year. Though it required a bare touch of reiatsu, the control needed to form the light into a ball without setting anything on fire meant that few students could master it.

In general, it was far easier to destroy than to create, and kido was no exception.

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" Shunsui asked in a muffled undertone.

"You don't have to whisper, you know," Juushiro replied conversationally. "We have every right to be in here." He brandished Shihoin-sensei's letter with a flourish. "This allows us – well, me – access to anything in these archives."

Shunsui lifted an eyebrow. "And does the note say anything about me?"

Juushiro shook his head. "But it doesn't say I can't have help, either. The librarian at the front desk clearly didn't have an issue with it when he let us down here." In fact, he had barely glanced at the letter before waving them through, clearly more interested in his book than a couple of students.

He had, however, taken the time to mumble that they probably wanted to start in Room 4, which they were looking for now. The rooms didn't appear to be numbered in any sort of logical order – they had just passed a doorway with a bronze '2' nailed above it, but the room before that had been number 7, and the one up ahead looked like it probably had a 9 nailed above it.

Shunsui made a face as they passed Room 9. "They need a map of this place," he complained. Like Juushiro, he held his sleeve over his face to keep out the worst of the dust, though he kept forgetting and gesticulating with both hands. Their white uniforms would be positively grey by the end of their trek.

"Yes, they..." Juushiro cut himself off. "There!" His kido light drifted over to the bronze '4' above the door. "See, that wasn't too bad."

Shunsui snorted. "By your standards, maybe." He slid the door open, wincing as the motion sent up a fresh cloud of dust.

Juushiro swore silently as his lungs threatened to rebel. He pressed his sleeve more tightly against his mouth and took slow, shallow breaths until the tickle in his throat subsided. Shunsui gave him a worried look, but he shook his head. "I'm fine." The words came out hoarsely, as though he'd been breathing smoke. He coughed once, then cleared his throat and tried again. "Seriously, I'm fine. Let's see what we can find."

Like in the corridor, a thin layer of dust coated the bookshelves, while the faint smell of old parchment hung in the air. The majority of the books looked like fukuro toji, traditional books bound together with a front and back cover, but Juushiro also spotted a number of tetsuyoso and detchoso. One bookshelf even held stacks of kansubon scrolls, rolled and piled into tidy heaps.

Shunsui pulled a tetsuyoso book off of a shelf and regarded it gloomily. "There's no way to tell what these are about," he pointed out, flipping through the pages with care to avoid cracking the glue holding them together. "Half of them don't even have covers, and most of the ones that do don't have titles. How are we going to find what we're looking for?" He replaced the book and pulled out another one, this one sewn together in the detchoso style.

Juushiro walked over to the shelf holding the scrolls. "Let's start with these," he suggested. "The older records may be more likely to hold secrets that we've forgotten." A thrill of excitement ran through him as he studied the piles of scrolls. How much information was lurking down here, just waiting to be discovered? How many forgotten secrets could they uncover down here?

He smiled and pulled a scroll from the stack at random. _This is going to be fun_.


	9. Flare

**Chapter 9: Flare**

After that, Juushiro spent the majority of his supposed free time in the archives, poring over the dusty tomes contained within. Shunsui joined him on occasion, but he quickly grew bored with the work, and so his participation tapered off. Juushiro didn't understand that – he found the information fascinating. Though he hadn't found any new information about the true origin of zanpakutos yet, he did manage to stumble across a few scraps of parchment describing something that looked suspiciously like a sound-bending kido.

Sadly, there wasn't enough information for him to attempt to cast the spell, but that didn't disappoint him too much. Now that he knew it was possible, and even had a blueprint of sorts, he had a good chance of recreating the kido – with Shihoin-sensei's supervision, of course.

However, that was a quest for another day. So Juushiro reluctantly shelved the fragments for now, turning his attention back to the search for more information on zanpakuto.

He was still unsuccessful in that hunt when, several weeks later, he pulled himself away from his research and sought a belated dinner only to find the dining hall buzzing with gossip. Students at every table whispered to each other in hushed, scandalized tones, casting furtive glances up at the instructor's table. Juushiro caught the words "Shiba" and "suicide" as he collected his food and took it to the table where Shunsui sat.

"What's going on?" he asked, sliding onto the bench.

Shunsui looked around, then whispered conspiratorially, "They say that Lady Shiba committed suicide last night."

Juushiro's eyes widened in shock. "What? Really?"

Shunsui nodded slowly. "That idiot, Gorou Shiba, was in here when a white-clad messenger came in. Hibiki told me that his cousin told him that the messenger told Shiba that his mother was dead." Juushiro paused for a second, working out the chain of messages, and Shunsui continued, "Shiba stormed out of the room as soon as the messenger left, and no one has seen him since."

Juushiro bit his lip. "That doesn't sound good," he murmured. White was the color of mourning; for a messenger to wear it meant that they carried tragic news. And suicide? No one, not even Gorou, deserved to lose a parent like that. "Is he alright?"

Shunsui shrugged uncomfortably. "Who knows? He's such a jerk, I bet no one really cares." He glanced around awkwardly. "I think some of his friends went after him though."

Juushiro sighed as he dug into his dinner. "I hope he doesn't do anything stupid," he murmured. Given Gorou, stupidity was a real possibility.

"He'll probably go get drunk somewhere," Shunsui guessed casually. He bit into a pickled beet, gesturing with his chopsticks as he elaborated, "He's got a reputation as a heavy drinker. Or he'll find a brothel somewhere." Juushiro winced. He pitied the working girl who dealt with him tonight.

Shunsui ate a few more bites of his picked vegetables before changing the subject. "Hey, do you have any plans for tonight?" he asked.

Juushiro shrugged. "Not really. I wanted to finish up that essay for Shihoin-sensei, though."

Shunsui snorted. "You have the entire weekend to do that. Hibiki and I, and maybe Nakamura, are going to the Golden Lion. You should come." He looked at Juushiro with puppy dog eyes. "It'll be fun."

"I don't know," Juushiro said slowly. "I really should get that essay done."

His roommate rolled his eyes in exasperation. "You can do it tomorrow. Come on, when was the last time you had fun?"

Juushiro chuckled. "Unlike you, I enjoy working on some of the projects Shihoin-sensei assigns us." He grimaced. _Though that essay is not particularly enjoyable_. He shrugged. _One night can't hurt_. "Sure, I'll go," he decided.

"Wonderful!" Shunsui declared happily. "I promise you won't regret it!" He gulped down the remainder of his rice and stood up. "You'll want to wear something besides your uniform," he pointed out dryly.

"I do know how to have fun," Juushiro responded in an identical tone, making Shunsui laugh. "I'll be presentable."

Unfortunately, Shunsui's definition of presentable differed from Juushiro's. The flamboyant student forced him to change his outfit three times before declaring himself satisfied. Juushiro bore the changes with resigned patience – Shunsui's puppy dog eyes were quite effective. At last, with the help of his roommate, he settled on a forest green kimono embroidered with abstract patterns around the hems.

"You should wear green more," Shunsui commented. "It looks good on you." Juushiro felt his cheeks turn pink, and he turned away to hide his embarrassment. Shunsui chuckled kindly and laid a hand on his shoulder. "I mean it." His tone turned playful, and he added, "The girls won't be able to resist you."

Juushiro rolled his eyes and punched his roommate in the shoulder. "Stop it."

Shunsui lifted his hands innocently. "What? I'm just telling the truth. Or would you prefer the attention of the boys?" He nudged Juushiro encouragingly, giving him a hopeful look.

Juushiro, face flaming, smacked Shunsui again. "Let's go, or we'll be late," he muttered. _There is no way in a thousand years I'm answering that kind of loaded question!_ Particularly not when it was asked by his shameless roommate.

As they were leaving the dorms, the sound of raised voices caught their attention. A second later, Gorou Shiba stormed out of the building, screaming imprecations over his shoulder. "Fine, I don't need you faggots anyway! Go fuck yourselves!" Juushiro winced at the foul language. The older student rushed past them, glaring. "What are you looking at?" His reiatsu swirled around him in a frenzied storm.

They prudently stepped aside, and the young man stalked off with a growl. The scent of sake hung in the air behind him. "He's certainly in a temper," Shunsui commented.

Juushiro sighed. "He did just lose his mother."

"Usually that brings tears, not insults," Shunsui pointed out sardonically.

"Everyone mourns differently," Juushiro replied soberly. One of the old men in the village next to his family's home had lost his daughter to a tempest at sea, and had spent the next month yelling at anyone who came close to him. His rages had been sparked by something as simple as a person walking along the path outside his cottage, which had terrified Juushiro's younger siblings. Eventually his parents had talked to the man, and he'd stopped scaring the children, but his grief-driven fury had taught Juushiro that people employed many masks to hide their pain. He suspected that Gorou was doing the same thing that the old man had.

Shunsui shrugged. "Not our problem." He trotted down the path, waving at Rei, who had just stepped out of the girls' dormitories. She wore an amber kimono and blue obi, colors designed to accentuate her blonde hair and hazel eyes, that she had tied loosely enough to show a hint of cleavage. "Kuchiki, are you coming too?"

Rei nodded, saying, "Nakamura invited me. Okay if Mika-chan comes as well?"

Shunsui grinned broadly. "The more the merrier!" So Mika, clad in a gorgeous pink kimono embroidered with silver cranes, joined the group as well. Ryuu and Hikaru appeared a few minutes later, followed by Aono and Taro. In the end, it was their entire squad that headed down to the Golden Lion, one of the cheaper taverns in the Yorokobi district of the Seireitei.

This early in the evening, the spacious building was only half full, but Shunsui assured Juushiro that it would be packed by the end of the night. Juushiro could believe it. Several other Academy students were already making headway on a pitcher of cheap beer, and Aono detached from their group to greet them. Ryuu and Hikaru immediately ordered shots of sake, while Rei and Mika strolled over to a group of giggling girls who they apparently knew.

"What do you want to drink?" Shunsui asked, leading Juushiro to the bar. Juushiro shrugged awkwardly, studying the prices with a worried eye. His work with Shihoin-sensei paid some, but not much, and he sent most of that back to his family. But he didn't want to explain that to Shunsui, who never seemed to run out of money for things like alcohol.

His roommate grinned at him, ignoring his silence. "Since I dragged you out here, let me get you something," he urged.

For a moment, Juushiro wavered between accepting the offer or spending some of his meager store of coins – his pride urged him towards the latter, while common sense pointed out that a free drink would allow him to save money for more essential things. Finally he sighed, and smiled back at Shunsui. "Sure. What do you recommend?"

"Hmm. They've got decent sake here, though their beer is horse piss. The umeshu, plum wine, isn't bad either." He studied the menu scrawled on a chalkboard above the bar. "The sake is probably your best bet though."

"Sure," Juushiro said again.

Shunsui waved over a waitress, a pretty girl dressed in a scandalously short kimono. "Two bowls of sake, if you'd be so kind," he asked, winking at her. "What's a gorgeous girl like you doing in a place like this?"

She giggled and fluttered her eyelashes at him. "Collecting compliments from handsome men like you two," she purred. "I'll bring you that sake right away." Shunsui tossed her a coin, and she grinned at him as she slipped it into her cleavage.

Shunsui turned and lounged against the bar, gesturing expansively to the room. "Isn't it lovely? Everyone, friends and strangers alike, sharing a drink together in peace. So much better than the interminable tea ceremonies enjoyed by my parents."

"I wouldn't know," Juushiro responded dryly.

Shunsui ran his hand through his hair, artfully messing it up. "It's better that way, trust me."

The waitress returned, and handed them each a wooden bowl of clear liquid. "I hope you enjoy it."

Shunsui bowed to her. "Served by such a beautiful young lady, how could we not?"

She lifted an eyebrow, turning her hazel gaze on Juushiro. "Your friend is very forward," she teased. "But for such a handsome young gentleman, you seem much more polite." She winked at him, twirling a lock of dark hair around a finger.

Juushiro blushed, unsure how to respond. "Um, yes, he is," he replied slowly. Taking a sip of sake to cover his uncertainty, he winced as the potent liquor burned its way down his throat. He could feel the alcohol hit almost immediately, bringing a pink tinge to his cheekbones.

The girl laughed gaily. "If you need anything, just ask me, alright?" She winked at Juushiro again and sashayed away into the growing crowd.

Shunsui patted him on the shoulder. "I told you the girls wouldn't be able to resist you," he teased. He grinned as his roommate's pale skin turned even pinker, and couldn't resist adding in a murmur, "The boys too. I can attest to that." He slung an arm around Juushiro's shoulders, forestalling any response the white-haired student might have made. "Let's find a table."

* * *

Shunsui hid his amusement as the night went on and Juushiro's flush grew more pronounced. The pretty waitress wasn't the only one who flirted with him; several girls from the group Rei and Mika knew also came over to their table. While they focused their attention on the two girls of the squad, Shunsui spotted their sidelong glances and coquettish flutters at his roommate. Juushiro noticed as well, and clearly had no idea how to respond. So he pretended that he didn't notice their antics, which only made them act more obviously. Shunsui took a sip of sake to conceal his grin.

By this time of night, the tavern was usually bustling, and tonight was no exception. Every table was packed, and the waitresses slid like dancers through the crowds. Mika, eyes bright with excitement, laughed and joked with the other girls, while Hikaru flirted subtly with Rei. The Kuchiki heir seemed receptive to his advances, though her playful responses never gave away too much. Aono and Taro debated some arcane nonsense in the corner. Ryuu had vanished in pursuit of a lovely, dark-haired girl some time ago, and hadn't returned yet.

At last Shunsui took pity on Juushiro. Draining the last of his sake, he offered, "Want to get some fresh air?" Juushiro nodded at him gratefully, and the pair slipped out of the tavern.

Shunsui used shunpo to leap up to the roof of the tavern, and Juushiro followed. He led his roommate to a sheltered nook next to a chimney that he had found several weeks ago, when exploring the rooftops. Business owners in Yorokobi tolerated the antics of the students, and generally turned a blind eye to their shunpo-fueled exploits, so long as they weren't causing too much trouble. "We won't be bothered here," Shunsui explained, sprawling against the chimney.

Juushiro sank down next to him, looking pensively up at the sky. "It's lovely up here," he said softly. "All the stars, sprinkled like diamonds on black velvet."

Shunsui nodded and scooted closer to his roommate. To his surprise, Juushiro rested his head on Shunsui's shoulder and closed his eyes. Shunsui grinned internally. _Is this your way of answering my question?_ he asked silently. Instinct told him that asking Juushiro outright would just lead to more denials, so he stayed quiet and enjoyed the feel of his roommate's warmth against his body.

Almost ten minutes passed in silence before Shunsui asked softly, "So did you enjoy yourself?"

Juushiro nodded. "I did. Thank you for inviting me." Shunsui smiled back at him, and a hush fell again.

Then, out of nowhere, a high-pitched, terrified scream split the air.

Shunsui and Juushiro lunged to their feet. Kido fire flared around Juushiro's hands while Shunsui immediately grabbed for his blade. Another scream echoed through the alleyway, only to be cut off with a meaty thud. The alcohol haze cleared immediately from Shunsui's mind, replaced by cold determination.

"That way," Juushiro spat urgently. He launched himself into shunpo; Shunsui followed right on his heels. Three jumps took them onto the roof of a building overlooking a narrow dead end alley. Both men immediately dropped into a crouch, crawling hastily to the edge of the roof.

Below them, illuminated by the light of the full moon, stood Gorou Shiba, pinning a struggling young man against the wall by his throat. Bruises decorated the boy's fair skin, and his wrist bent at an odd angle. His flowered kimono, reminiscent of a woman's outfit, hung in tatters from his shoulders. The garment hung open at his chest, revealing smears of blood. "Damn it, again?" Juushiro muttered angrily. "Doesn't he learn?"

The young man drew breath to scream again, writhing weakly in Gorou's grip. The muscular Academy student slapped him across the face, then drove a fist into him belly. "Shut up, whore," he growled, slurring slightly. Blood gushed from the boy's mouth as he doubled over, whimpering. Gorou dropped him in disgust.

Neither Shunsui nor Juushiro waited to see any more. They dropped easily off of the rooftop, using shunpo to land lightly behind the pair. Gorou spun and sneered when he saw the younger students. "You two again. Didn't you get enough of a lesson last time?" He kicked the boy behind him with a careless twitch of his foot. Shunsui gulped as the boy's head hit the brick wall with an audible thud.

Juushiro swore under his breath, and Shunsui's eyes widened. He had never heard his roommate swear before. "Distract Shiba," the pale student muttered subvocally.

Shunsui nodded minutely and took a step forward. "You know, we were just wondering the same thing about you," he said casually. Gorou's eyes narrowed as he started speaking, and he took a threatening step forward.

The moment the older student moved, Juushiro vanished with a pop from Shunsui's side. He flickered into existence a nanosecond later, crouched at the young man's side. Scooping him up in one swift motion, he vanished again, only to reappear on the rooftop above them. By the time Shunsui finished his sentence, Juushiro had reappeared at his side. Blood smeared his arms and hands, and his emerald eyes blazed with fury. "He's unconscious," the slender student reported coldly. "If he doesn't get healing soon, he'll die."

"He was just a copper penny whore who insulted my family," Gorou replied lazily, a slight slur in his voice. "If you know what's good for you, you'll turn around right now."

Shunsui's reiatsu flared angrily. "Go fuck yourself," he spat, settling into a fighting stance. One hand wrapped around the hilt of his sword. "What the hell were you thinking?" He felt Juushiro's energy rise beside him as his roommate slid his feet into a balanced stance as well.

Gorou smirked. "I suppose you're going to report this, then." He shook his head mockingly. "I don't think so." Underneath the arrogance, Shunsui fancied that he heard a trace of fear. Gorou may have been a noble, but not even a son of one of the five great houses could kill a commoner without any consequences. _Even if the commoner did insult his family, like he said, he has no legal right to punish him so severely_. A few lashes, ordered by a judge for disrespect of a noble, was one thing. But assault was another. If Shunsui and Juushiro reported him to Yamamoto, he would face serious penalties. Maybe even expulsion. Shunsui grinned humorlessly. _Now that I'd pay to see_.

His grin dissolved a moment later when Gorou drew his zanpakuto with a cruel sneer. "Slice them, Kintora!" he yelled. The katana in his hand dissolved and reformed as a coiled, barbed whip. Gorou sent the end lashing towards the pair of shocked students, who dove out of the way just in time. Shunsui could feel the air crack as the tip of the whip snapped past him.

 _Fuck_ , Shunsui thought as he rolled to his feet to see Gorou advancing towards him, a mocking grin plastered on his face. _Since when does Shiba have shikai?_

 _Not important now_ , a feminine voice in his head commented wryly. Shunsui started. _Focus!_ the voice snapped. Shunsui jumped backwards on reflex at the whip hurtled towards him again. It flickered past the tip of his nose and smashed into the brick, sending chips of stone flying everywhere. Shunsui yelped as one sliver dug a bloody furrow across his forehead. Blinking blood out of his eyes, he saw Gorou winding back for another blow. Shunsui quickly yanked his asauchi out of its hilt at his side, gripping it with sweaty palms.

"Bakudo 4: Hainawa!" Juushiro yelled hastily. A glowing rope shot from his hands and wrapped around Gorou's arms. He broke the binding with a contemptuous flexing of his reiatsu, but the second's breathing room allowed Shunsui and Juushiro to go back to back in the middle of the alley.

Gorou snickered, and launched another strike with his whip. "Bakudo 39: Enkosen!" Juushiro spat as the whip shot at them. A glowing blue shield condensed in front of them, catching the tip of the weapon in a shower of sparks. Undeterred, Gorou launched another attack, laughing wildly.

"Has he gone insane?" Juushiro muttered as he rapidly summoned more kido shields. Sweat ran down his face, but the whip hadn't touched them yet.

Shunsui shifted his grip on the hilt of his sword, studying the older student warily. His attacks flicked out, seemingly at random, but with incredible power behind them. The whip glanced off of a shield and crashed into the brick wall again, sending more chips flying. "Maybe," he replied shortly. _He certainly doesn't seem worried about the consequences for his actions. He could be expelled for drawing his zanpakuto on us_. If any sanity lurked under his seeming madness, Shunsui couldn't sense it. The older boy's orange reiatsu raged out of control, threaded through with filaments of glittering darkness. The color made Shunsui frown, but there was no time to analyze it.

Gorou sent his whip spinning in a complicated flourish, darting past Juushiro's shields, and Shunsui swung his blade up in a textbook high block. The whip wrapped around the asauchi and yanked hard, nearly ripping the blade from Shunsui's hands. He pulled back fiercely.

Rather than engage in a tug-of-war, Gorou snapped his whip free and launched a series of darting attacks that sought out the weaknesses in the shield barriers. Juushiro panted as he maintained the reiatsu wall, while Shunsui did his best to parry any strikes that got through. "This… isn't… going to work… for long," he bit out as the tip sliced into the muscle of his calf, then lashed across his chest. Juushiro grunted when another strike slashed open his bicep.

Gorou began slowly circling closer, reiatsu spiraling higher and higher. The eager light in his eyes made him shiver. _We need help, and fast_ , he realized.

 _So call for it_ , the woman's voice suggested dryly.

Shunsui rolled his eyes at it, then froze. "Flare!" he hissed.

"What?"

Rather than answer, Shunsui blasted his reiatsu out as far as it could go. Juushiro caught on a second later and followed suit. The twin pillars of their reiatsu – sea blue and a green so dark it was almost black – shot into the sky. Gorou recoiled with a curse, then laughed. "You think that'll defeat me?" He flicked his whip around in a frenzied dance. "I've seen it, I tell you, I've seen it all! You two are fools if you think you can win."

"Maybe we are," Shunsui murmured to Juushiro wryly. "But at least we aren't arrogant, murdering assholes." Juushiro choked on a laugh despite the seriousness of the situation.

Gorou shook his head. "Enough. I won't let you two spoil my chances for a post. My father has promised me the third seat in his division when I graduate. I deserve that post, and no upstarts like you are going to screw that up." The sudden return of his rational tone made Shunsui nervous. _What the hell is he planning?_

"Drop your sword," a cold voice intoned from above them. Rei Kuchiki stood on the rooftop, blond hair haloed by the moon. "Now." She leapt down into the alleyway, landing in a surefooted crouch. As she straightened, she gave them all a feral grin.

"Do it," a second voice advised calmly. "It'll go better for you." Hikaru Nakamura dropped into the alley as well, followed by Ryuu Hibiki and Taro Kannogi. The three young men bore unsheathed blades; kido fire hovered around Taro's hands. Mika Fujimoto and Aono Kira appeared seconds later, also with weapons drawn. All of them wore expressions of deadly seriousness.

Juushiro dropped his reiatsu shields on the side nearest them and gave them a grateful smile. Shunsui winked flirtatiously at Rei, who rolled her eyes. The eight students formed a line facing Gorou, fanning out across the alleyway as they'd practiced during line drills. The burly sixth-year eyed them arrogantly. "You don't know what you're doing," he snarled.

Juushiro eyed him, then the other students. He nodded once to Shunsui, then flashed up to the rooftop where the boy lay. Shunsui spotted the glow of a healing kido forming before he turned his gaze back to Gorou. The other students shifted position to fill in the gap left by Juushiro's absence.

Gorou opened his mouth to speak again, and Rei directed an icy glare in his direction. Summoning all the arrogance of the Kuchiki clan, she snapped, "You will be silent." His head snapped back as if she had slapped him.

Then his eyes narrowed and he snorted. "So you have friends now." He paced deliberately forward, until Shunsui could smell the alcohol fumes coming off of him in waves. Though his gate was perfectly steady, the older student was smashed. "You're a coward, Kyoraku," he said softly. "Can't face me on your own?" He ignored the other students completely, though he darted a venomous glance in their direction. His whip dangled from his hand as though he had forgotten its use.

Shunsui eyed him disgustedly. "Shiba, you don't deserve to be a noble," he snarled.

Gorou roared in rage and raised his whip in preparation to strike.

Then a blast of fiery reiatsu cascaded through the alleyway, forcing them all backwards. "What is going on here?" Yamamoto's livid voice demanded loudly.

Shunsui flinched as the old man walked forward slowly, each deliberate footstep accompanied by a surge of reiatsu. His gnarled hands clutched his cane, but no one mistook that for weakness. As he advanced, the students parted, so that he walked through a corridor of attentive young men and women. Gorou stood at the end of the alleyway, eyes blazing arrogantly. He still held his released zanpakuto in his hand, but had lost his battle-ready posture.

By the time Yamamoto passed Shunsui, the spiritual pressure in the alleyway was enough to make him gasp for breath. He could see his classmates swaying on their feet beneath the force of Yamamoto's anger. Yamamoto drew to a halt several feet in front of Gorou, glaring at him from beneath lowered eyebrows. "Shiba-san, explain yourself," he ordered curtly.

Gorou bowed respectfully, though his balance wobbled. With a wave of his hand, he transformed his zanpakuto back into a katana and sheathed it. "Sensei, these two have wanted to get me in trouble since the beginning of the term," he declared, gesturing towards Shunsui and then Juushiro. "They attacked me tonight; I was just defending myself."

Shunsui snorted. "Sure. And that's why you were hurting that boy."

"What boy?" Yamamoto barked.

Shunsui waved up at the rooftop, where Juushiro crouched over a golden healing glow. "Up there, sensei. We found Shiba assaulting him and took action to stop him." Juushiro looked up when he heard the dialogue, but didn't break his concentration. Shunsui could feel the tides of his reiatsu gutter as he focused intently on piecing together torn flesh and shattered bone – his roommate was nearly exhausted.

With an apologetic bow to Yamamoto, Mika flashstepped up to the rooftop beside Juushiro. She knelt next to him and began feeding her own energy into the healing weave.

Yamamoto ignored her departure. Facing Gorou, he asked coldly, "What do you have to say to Kyoraku-san's accusations?"

Gorou rolled his eyes, swaying gently. "He's delusional. That boy is a common whore who sells himself for a couple copper. He insulted my parentage. I had every right to discipline him."

"So that gives you free reign to break his ribs and arm?" Shunsui asked interestedly. "I didn't know that was allowed." He paid no heed to the dry look Yamamoto sent him at his heavy sarcasm.

A flicker of reiatsu announced Juushiro's arrival at his side. The slender student landed heavily, but executed a picture-perfect bow when he turned to face Yamamoto. "The boy has three broken ribs, one of which punctured his lung, as well as a broken wrist," he reported coldly. "He is unconscious, likely concussed. He needs immediate attention from a healer." Juushiro's face was dead white, and his reiatsu was barely noticeable, but his voice was steady.

Yamamoto frowned. "Shiba-san, this is unacceptable behavior for a noble. You do not abuse people weaker than you. Furthermore, you released your zanpakuto in a battle against other Academy students." His eyes narrowed. "Report tomorrow morning at nine bells to the judicial hall. Your punishment will be decided there."

Gorou gaped at him in astonishment. "Sensei, you can't do that! Do you know who my father is?"

"I know perfectly well who your father is, youngster," Yamamoto replied dryly. "I will see you tomorrow morning." He turned to Shunsui and Juushiro. Shunsui barely prevented himself from stepping backwards at the sight of the anger in his slitted eyes. "You two will report there as well."

Both Shunsui and Juushiro bowed low, murmuring, "Yes, sensei."

Yamamoto eyed the rest of the squad. "And what is your part in the matter?"

Rei took a step forward and bowed at the precise angle necessary for the heir of the Kuchiki clan. "Sir, we came when we felt Kyoraku and Ukitake flare their reiatsu," she explained calmly.

Yamamoto nodded slowly. "Supporting your comrades. Good." He looked around at all of them. "You are dismissed."

"Sir, what about the boy?" Juushiro asked tentatively.

The old man frowned. For a second, Shunsui was worried that he would order them to leave the boy in the alleyway. But Yamamoto wasn't that callous. "Take him to the healers at the Academy," he ordered. Juushiro bowed in acceptance, and Yamamoto vanished with a crack.

"Come on, let's get you all to the infirmary," Rei urged as soon as Yamamoto's spiritual pressure disappeared. "You're both bleeding."

Shunsui grimaced, looking down at himself in dismay. "It didn't hurt so much while we were fighting," he muttered ruefully. The cut across his chest was the deepest, but blood trickled from the gash in his calf and several other slashes that he couldn't recall getting.

Rei shook her head in exasperation. "Men."

Taro and Aono flashed up to the rooftop, making Mika squeak as they appeared behind her. Taro gently lifted the boy, while Aono held his head steady and Mika maintained the flow of healing energy. "We'll meet you there," Taro informed them all calmly. Rei nodded absently, and the group shunpoed away.

Juushiro swayed suddenly, and Hikaru wrapped an arm around his waist. "Damn, Ukitake, what'd you do?" he asked softly.

Juushiro chuckled, pain making his voice breathy. "Spent far more energy on kido than I should have, I think," he told the sandy-haired student lightly.

Rei sighed. "Explain later." She chivvied them out of the alleyway, eying Juushiro and Shunsui thoughtfully. "Can you shunpo?" she asked Juushiro.

The pale student shook his head ruefully. "Not enough energy left."

Shunsui bit his lip at the exhaustion lurking under his roommate's casual tone. "I've got enough energy left for a few steps, at least," he offered. "Nakamura, could you help Juushiro? I'd like to get back as quickly as possible."

Hikaru nodded. "Of course." He turned to Juushiro. "If you don't mind."

Juushiro sighed, but he recognized the necessity of the undignified situation. "It's fine. Thank you for your assistance, Nakamura-san."

"Always so formal," Shunsui teased. "Even when you're about to pass out from reiatsu drain." He recoiled from the glare Juushiro sent his way, raising his hands in laughing surrender. "Alright, alright, I'll stop!"

Rei punched his shoulder. "I thought you wanted to move quickly?" she pointed out dryly.

Shunsui nodded, serious again. He wanted to make sure Juushiro got help soon; he didn't like the gray pallor of his roommate's face. "Let's go."

The trip back to the Academy, which would have taken five minutes if they'd all been uninjured, took nearly a half bell. Shunsui watched uncomfortably as Juushiro grew paler and paler throughout the journey, despite Hikaru's help. His aquamarine reiatsu flickered like a candle in the wind. Judging by Rei's worried glances, she felt it too, but there was nothing any of them could do. _Damn it_ , Shunsui cursed at himself. _Why didn't I attend that lesson on mending reiatsu drain?_ It had been towards the beginning of the term, and he'd had something else he wanted to do. Now that seemed like a monumentally foolish decision. _I'll have to get Ukitake to teach it to me once he's healed_ , he told himself firmly.

The efficient healers at the infirmary took charge of them as soon as they stumbled through the door. One green-clad young woman guided Juushiro into a small room, while another led Shunsui to a room down the hall. "You can see your friend once he's feeling better," she told him firmly. Shunsui grumbled, but allowed her to bandage his wounds and apply a poultice to prevent infection. A bit of healing kido sealed the injuries enough to prevent bleeding, but he would need to be careful for a few days to avoid reopening them. "Now, I'm sure you've heard this before, but you need to change the bandages twice a day," the healer informed him dryly. "No getting them wet, and if you see any signs of infection, return here immediately."

"I know the drill," Shunsui told her. "Thank you." He bowed to her with a courtly flourish, the move made awkward by his sitting position, and she giggled. "Do you know anything about the boy my friends brought in?"

She looked away. "He's stable, but kido healing doesn't work as well on someone with low reiatsu," she explained softly. "We think he'll make it, but it's still touchy."

Shunsui sighed. "Well, thank you for letting me know." She smiled at him and departed in a swish of fluttering robes. Shunsui rested his head in his hands wearily. _I guess I can stay here till they heal Ukitake_ , he realized with a sigh. _I hope he'll be okay_. Shunsui wasn't too worried, though. The Academy healers were the best, and Juushiro wasn't badly injured. _That boy, on the other hand… I hope he survives this. Though he may not want to; we don't know what all Shiba did to him_. Shunsui grimaced. He couldn't wait for the trial – Gorou richly deserved the punishment that Yamamoto was sure to mete out.

* * *

 **Author's Note** : Greetings from Tel Aviv! As it turns out, nine hour plane rides where you can't sleep are a great way to get a lot of writing done. Please excuse any sleep-deprived errors I may have made :) I hope you enjoyed the chapter! (And, if you want to make this stressed author really happy, leave a review!)


	10. Verdict

**Chapter 10: Verdict**

Shunsui wasn't the only one eagerly awaiting Gorou's trial. Juushiro lay in the hospital bed as the dawn light crept through the window, feeling his reiatsu reserves slowly refill and cursing his own weakness. He refused to allow Gorou to see how drained that one battle had left him. _If a fight against a single student is this wearying, how will I ever be able to fight against hollows?_ he thought to himself in frustration.

 _Patience_ , a voice inside his head counseled. _You will be strong enough, never fear_.

Juushiro sighed wearily, too wrung out to argue. Though the healer's spells had worked wonders, his energy levels remained half empty. _I wish they could make the process work faster, but apparently replenishing energy too fast can be just as damaging as leaving reiatsu drain alone_.

He glanced over at Shunsui, who had managed to fall asleep while kneeling in seiza and was now slumped against the wall. The healers had allowed him in after they'd finished their work, and he had stubbornly remained the entire night. Juushiro smiled softly. He appreciated his roommate's kindness, though he could have done without the snoring. But Shunsui's reiatsu was a comforting hum in the back of his mind, lulling him into a more peaceful frame of mind.

He even managed to doze for a while, until a cheerful healer brought them a steaming breakfast on a tray. Shunsui woke with a start when she entered, glancing around wildly before noticing where he was. Then he grinned at the pretty healer, flirting with her as he relieved her of her burden. She flirted gently back, cheeks glowing red.

"Is there any woman in this compound that you haven't tried to seduce?" Juushiro asked in amusement once she had left. He dug into the steamed rice and tamagoyaki hungrily as Shunsui chuckled.

"Probably not," the flamboyant student replied casually, beginning his own meal. "Though you could probably say the same about the guys." Juushiro choked on his rice, and Shunsui continued thoughtfully, "Well, maybe not. Most of them would probably punch me for flirting, so I only hit on the cute ones."

Juushiro frowned. "That implies that the 'cute ones,' as you put it, won't hit you," he said slowly. "I don't think there's a correlation there."

Shunsui shrugged. Around a mouthful of tamagoyaki, he explained, "Sometimes a punch is worth it."

Juushiro rolled his eyes and concentrated on his food. With only a couple bells of sleep, he didn't feel ready to deal with that particular topic at the moment. _Kyoraku, every time I think I have you figured out, you surprise me again_ , he thought wryly. _I wonder if you even understand yourself_. Juushiro hid a smile. _Probably not, considering how you act. It's probably not a question that crosses your mind too much_. His roommate had many – sometime well-hidden – good qualities, but introspection was not one of them.

The clock chimed eight and a half bells, and Juushiro sighed. "Alright, time to clean up and head over to the judicial hall." He swung his legs out of bed with a wince, and Shunsui eyed him worriedly.

"Are you sure you're alright? You're still as pale as a hollow mask."

Juushiro nodded firmly. "I'll be fine. The rest of my energy should recover more rapidly now, especially if I move around." He glanced around. "I don't suppose you know if the healers left any clean uniforms?" He wore a simple yukata, perfect for the infirmary, but completely inappropriate for the trial. Usually the hospital kept a stash of uniforms in various sizes on hand – if an injury was serious enough to require hospitalization, the patient's clothes were generally trashed beyond repair.

Shunsui nodded and tossed him a pair of blue hakama and a white gi top. "They brought them in after you fell asleep last night," he informed his roommate. Shunsui already wore his uniform, though a night on the floor had left wrinkles and creases all through it.

Juushiro splashed water over his face before pulling on the clean uniform. It hung loosely around his ribs, and he wondered if he had lost more weight. _I hope not_ , he thought wryly. _If I lose a few pounds every time I overextend myself, I'll soon be nothing but bones_. He pulled the ties as tight as they would go, and managed to conceal most of the extra fabric.

Shunsui combed his fingers through his hair, leaving it messier than before, and Juushiro laughed. Shunsui pouted at him. "I'll have you know that the ladies find this look very attractive," he pointed out.

Juushiro snickered. "They might, but Yamamoto-sensei won't." Shunsui sighed, but arranged his hair into a semblance of respectability. Juushiro nodded approvingly. "Much better. A pity we can't do anything about your uniform, but hopefully no one will notice."

Shunsui rolled his eyes. "Come on, perfectionist, or we'll be late." Juushiro nodded, and the pair hurried out of the infirmary.

The judicial hall was an imposing building on the edge of the Academy grounds, paneled in dark wood and guarded by a stone-faced man in a blue uniform. He waved Shunsui and Juushiro through without a word as they approached. Juushiro felt his cool regard on their backs as the thick door slid shut behind them.

The inside of the building was lit by clear kido globes, necessary due to the lack of windows. Juushiro tensed as they walked further down the long hallway – echoes of furious, icy reiatsu emanated from the walls around them. He could almost see the people who had raged within these halls, leaving ghostly imprints of their selves in the wood. _Does this place double as an execution chamber?_ Juushiro wondered with a shiver. It would explain the eerie footprints left behind; death always left a stain.

The whipping during their second year had not been performed in here, but in the courtyard outside. The teachers had ordered everyone to watch the punishment, to impress upon them the seriousness of the crime. _Got it_ , Juushiro thought grimly. _No drawing a zanpakuto except in self-defense_. He bit his lip. _Will Shiba be whipped for releasing his blade on us?_

Juushiro glanced to the side, where Shunsui strode with a cheerful look on his face. His reiatsu wrapped tightly around him, concealing his true emotions behind a playful façade. _What are you thinking?_ he asked his roommate silently.

Shunsui looked over at him and grinned. "Cheer up! There's no way old man Yama will decide that Shiba is innocent this time."

"That's not what I'm worried about," Juushiro muttered softly. He knew that the evidence against Gorou would lead to a guilty verdict. But what would happen then?

As they entered the dark, cavernous chamber where the trial was to take place, Juushiro looked around curiously. The front of the room was dominated by a raised dais where their teachers stood, watching the room with a variety of expressions. Yamamoto-sensei, in the center, looked tired. Beside him, Shihoin-sensei watched the room with an amused glint in her eye, while Kichiro-sensei frowned irritably. Feng-sensei, who taught advanced hakuda, glared around icily, and Fukui-sensei looked bored. None of the other teachers were present.

Yamamoto nodded to Shunsui and Juushiro as they entered. "Ukitake-san, Kyoraku-san, please be seated," he ordered, motioning to a pair of cushions to the left of the center aisle.

They knelt obediently. Shunsui stayed silent for a few minutes before shifting restlessly. Juushiro poked him, and he whispered, "Where's Shiba?" Juushiro shrugged.

Yamamoto glared at him. "Kyoraku-san, you will not speak until spoken to." Shunsui blushed and looked down, abashed.

"He's got a good point," Shihoin-sensei murmured. Yamamoto turned his glare on her, and she smiled cheerfully back at him. He sighed and turned away, muttering something inaudible under his breath.

Gorou Shiba strolled into the room several minutes later, glancing around arrogantly. Juushiro caught a whiff of stale alcohol and sweat as he passed, and wrinkled his nose. The older student clearly hadn't bathed or changed his clothes since the night before. Darkness stained his reiatsu, an empty void lurking underneath orange flames.

"You're late," Yamamoto intoned severely.

Gorou shrugged insolently. "I'm here now," he pointed out, bowing shallowly to the assembled teachers.

Yamamoto frowned at him. "Gorou Shiba, you are here on charges of assault with a zanpakuto on fellow Academy students, as well as assault on a commoner. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Gorou rolled his eyes. "So I defended myself when these two attacked me, and smacked a whore around. Like I told you before, he insulted my family and my honor. So what?" Juushiro clenched his hands at the callous disregard in his tone. Up on the dais, Shihoin-sensei's eyes narrowed.

Yamamoto's voice hardened dangerously when he replied, "So you do not deny the charges?"

Gorou snorted, and didn't reply. Juushiro glanced at him surreptitiously, shocked by his disrespectful conduct. _Are you trying to get yourself expelled?_ Then Gorou apparently recalled where he was, for he gave a shallow bow of apology, and said, "I dispute the legality of the charges, sir." He concealed a yawn behind his hand, and Juushiro frowned. _Is Shiba still drunk?_ It was the only reason Juushiro could think of that would explain his atrocious behavior. Not even mourning excused such rudeness.

The old man frowned at him. "On what grounds?"

The older student shrugged. "Like I said, I was defending myself and the honor of my family."

Yamamoto sighed heavily. "Ukitake-san, Kyoraku-san, please report to the assembly what you witnessed."

At his nod, Juushiro stood up and bowed to the dais. "Sir, we were out with our classmates when we heard a scream coming from nearby. When we arrived on the scene, we saw Shiba-san assaulting a young man in an alleyway in the Yorokobi district." His voice flattened. "His clothes were torn and bloody, and his wrist appeared broken." Juushiro paused, then added coldly, "He was unarmed and defenseless." His voice cracked like a whip on the last word.

"Liar," Gorou spat angrily.

Shihoin-sensei lifted her eyebrows. "I have never known Ukitake-san to lie," she commented coolly.

"Shiba-san, hold your tongue," Yamamoto ordered curtly at the same time. He glared at Gorou from beneath lowered eyelids, and the older student shut his mouth with a snap. Yamamoto waved a hand. "Please, continue."

Juushiro bowed slightly, and obeyed. "We immediately intervened." His expression tightened. "But we were too late to save the boy from serious injury. Kyoraku-san distracted Shiba so I could use shunpo to rescue the boy. By then, he was unconscious; a rib had pierced his lung, and he needed immediate medical attention." Juushiro cast a disgusted glance at Gorou, who glared right back. Taking several deep breaths, the white-haired student continued, "Yamamoto-sensei can verify the boy's injuries." Fukui-sensei glanced at the old man, who nodded regally.

"Did the boy survive?" Feng-sensei asked dispassionately.

It was Shunsui who answered. "He is stable at the moment, sensei, and the healers are optimistic."

"I presume he was a commoner," Fukui-sensei said coolly. It wasn't a question, but Shunsui nodded anyway. The elegant man sniffed and leaned back, and Shunsui fought to keep his anger off of his face.

Yamamoto gestured to Juushiro. "After you rescued the boy, why did you remain?"

Juushiro shrugged. "It was the right thing to do." Truthfully, part of him had wanted to make Gorou pay, but that wasn't the kind of thing you admitted to the headmaster of the Academy. _I suspect he knows anyway_ , Juushiro thought wryly. He continued the tale, describing the way Gorou had reacted to their presence with violence and threats. When he described Gorou's release of his zanpakuto and his own response to the flurry of attacks, Shihoin-sensei stopped him with a raised hand.

"You say you deflected Shiba's attacks using repeated castings of Enkosen?" she asked curiously.

Juushiro bowed slightly. "Yes, ma'am."

She leaned back and waved a hand at him. "Proceed. I'd like to see you afterwards to discuss that, though."

He obeyed, conscious of her pensive eyes on him throughout the rest of the presentation. When he drew to a close, Yamamoto nodded slowly. "Kyoraku-san, do you have anything to add?"

Juushiro returned to kneeling in seiza, and Shunsui replied, "No, sir."

"He's lying," Gorou drawled lazily. "These two have hated me since the beginning of the term. That boy was a common whore, nothing more. His insults to my family could not be tolerated." Juushiro felt his fists clench at the callous arrogance in the sixth year's tone. His blood chilled further when he saw Fukui-sensei nod slowly in response to Gorou's last statement. _I know you just lost your mother, but you were drunk_ , he told Gorou silently. _You would have taken anything as an insult in your state. And even if the boy said something incautious, you had no right to nearly murder him_.

"Shiba-san, you will be silent," Yamamoto ordered curtly. Gorou rolled his eyes as he obeyed. Yamamoto turned to the other teachers, eyes narrowed. "What do you all say?"

Shihoin-sensei tipped her head to one side, studying the three students intently. Her green eyes narrowed as her gaze passed over Gorou, who slouched as he watched the dais with a visible expression of boredom. Turning to Yamamoto, she declared, "Considering the injuries sustained by Ukitake and Kyoraku, I find it ludicrous that Shiba was, as he claims, only defending himself." She looked disdainfully at Shiba. "He doesn't deny releasing his zanpakuto, and that's sufficient reason to find him guilty."

Kichiro-sensei nodded sharply. "These two are my students, and I have never known them to lie," he informed the assembled teachers. "I find Shiba guilty." Juushiro glanced over as Shunsui started, eying Kichiro in shock. His roommate intercepted his gaze and mouthed, "Really?" Juushiro shrugged.

Feng-sensei offered a single-word answer when Yamamoto gestured to her: "Guilty."

Fukui-sensei shrugged. "Shiba-san is one of my best students. I don't deny that he acted irresponsibly, but he was lost in mourning for his mother. I ask for leniency in his punishment."

Shunsui snorted, and muttered, "The five houses always protect each other." Juushiro sighed in resignation. _Of course they do, Kyoraku. They invite each other to parties, foster each other's children, and even form marriage alliances with each other. Protecting Gorou Shiba means that the Shiba clan will owe the Fukui clan a favor, which is no small thing_. He knew that Shunsui knew all of that – probably far better than Juushiro did. But the reality still frustrated both of them. _Still, he did lose his mother_. Juushiro sighed. He couldn't hate someone with that much pain emanating from them, though Gorou did his best to cover it with anger and contempt.

It bothered him, however, that none of the senseis mentioned the boy when deciding on their guilty verdict. _Does he not matter?_ Juushiro wondered bitterly. _If he had been a noble, they surely would have cared_. But then, assault on a noble was grounds for execution. The harshest punishment in store for Gorou was expulsion. Still, it rankled that none of the teachers – not even Kichiro-sensei or Shihoin-sensei, who Juushiro respected immensely – cared enough to include Gorou's assault on the boy in their verdict.

Yamamoto banged his staff on the ground. "Very well. Gorou Shiba, you are sentenced to twenty lashes and suspension until the spring term. In light of your loss, I will not sentence you to the maximum punishment. You may return and complete your schooling when you can prove that you have learned control."

Gorou gaped at him open-mouthed. "You can't do that!" he blurted out angrily. "My father will never allow it!"

"Be grateful that it is not thirty lashes and expulsion," Yamamoto thundered. Juushiro winced as the old man's rising reiatsu buffeted him, blasting through his lowered defenses.

Gorou stomped his foot petulantly, reminding Juushiro of his youngest brother throwing a tantrum. "You have no right to do this. I am a son of the Shiba clan, one of the five great houses. We're going to be the greatest of them all – you have no right to insult me like this." His reiatsu surged about him in a furious storm. Both Juushiro and Shunsui shrank away from the uncontrolled conflagration, raising their own reiatsu to compensate.

Shihoin-sensei made a sharp gesture, and Gorou's power died abruptly. He stared at her with wide eyes, and she smirked. "Control your reiatsu, boy, or I'll control it for you."

Juushiro tilted his head to the side, surreptitiously studying the golden barrier locking down Gorou's energy. The faceted shield reflected all the power back on itself, letting the storm rage uselessly in Gorou's heart. It was a gorgeous piece of work. _And she didn't have to say anything to cast it_ , Juushiro marveled. _Impressive_. He had seen her lock down the power of a youngster losing control of a kido spell, but that was a far cry from stopping the tantrum of a man capable of shikai. _There's an exponential energy difference_ , he thought to himself in amazement.

Shihoin-sensei grinned like a cat that had gotten into the cream, and gestured to Yamamoto. "Sir, you were saying?"

Yamamoto leaned heavily on his cane as he spoke. "Shiba-san, you will report here tomorrow morning at ten bells for the first part of your punishment. In recognition of your status and your grief, I will not confine you to jail for the night. I trust that you will appear promptly."

"No," Gorou snarled.

Yamamoto's eyebrows rose. "No?" he asked slowly. The other senseis regarded Gorou with a mixture of horror and disdain. Juushiro stared in shock at the older student, and felt Shunsui's surprise emanating from him as well. _Even if he's in mourning, this is absurd_.

"I said, no." Gorou took a step forward and looked up at Yamamoto defiantly. "I will not report here to be whipped like a common criminal. I am of noble blood, and this is unacceptable." He eyed the teachers arrogantly. "I quit."

Shunsui and Juushiro exchanged confused glances. "What's going on?" Juushiro asked, puzzled. _Why is a promising sixth year student, a semester from graduating, throwing everything away? Is he truly that driven by his pride, that he cannot bear the thought of losing in this fashion?_ It was the only explanation Juushiro could think of. _He cannot tolerate the idea of the public humiliation, which will reveal the stain on his honor for all to see. So he chooses his own path, which seems less embarrassing now, yet is far more detrimental in the long run_.

Shunsui shrugged. "No idea." Juushiro couldn't tell if his roommate was truly confused, or simply refused to acknowledge his own suspicions.

Gorou cast a dirty look in their direction. "If this is the quality of the students you want in your Academy, I want no part in it. A drunken, lecherous fool, and a weakling a bare step up from a commoner? And you even let in that gutter trash from the Rukongai." He rolled his eyes with a sneer. "I will be sure to inform my father of the declining quality of the Academy, though I'm sure he knows already." He raised his eyebrows. "I'm sure he will be interested to hear it directly from me, though." Shunsui burst out laughing at the description of himself, only stopping when Yamamoto directed the full force of his glare in their direction.

Fukui-sensei frowned at the unsubtle threat. "Shiba-san, think about what you're doing," he warned. "Are you sure you want to do this? What would your lady mother have thought?" Juushiro winced at the low blow, casting a furtive glance at Gorou.

The muscular student's reiatsu hardened into a diamond mask of indifference, and he shrugged carelessly. "I've got shikai already; there's nothing more the Academy can teach me. My father won't turn away my blade." He deliberately ignored Fukui-sensei's question about his mother, though his expression had hardened.

Juushiro closed his eyes and stretched his senses as far as they could go. When he brushed against Gorou's energy, he shivered. The older student felt like an open, gaping wound to his reiatsu sense. The iron mask that he wore as a shield couldn't completely conceal his pain, not when his blood swam with alcohol. _I'm sorry, Shiba-san_ , he thought heavily. _You brought this upon yourself, but no one should lose a parent the way you did. I understand your grief, if not your reaction to it_.

Fukui-sensei sighed heavily, but before he could reply, Yamamoto barked, "Shiba, you will refrain from this insolence immediately."

Gorou laughed bitterly. "You have no more influence over me, sir, whatever you may think. I wish you luck with your Academy, for you'll surely need it." He threw a disdainful glare at Shunsui and Juushiro. "As for you two, rest assured that I will not forget this insult. There is nowhere you can hide from me, and I will be repayed for your insolence." And with that, he spun on his heel and strode out of the room with only a slight wobble in his stride.

The instructors stared after him in incredulous silence. Finally Shihoin-sensei snorted, and said dryly, "Well, that's one problem that will come back to bite us eventually."

Yamamoto exhaled sharply. "That is not a topic for discussion in the present company." He glanced at Shunsui and Juushiro, who knelt in frozen silence. "You two are dismissed. If your classmates inquire about the outcome of this trial, you may tell them that Gorou Shiba is no longer a student at this Academy, by his own choice."

Juushiro bowed respectfully to the old man. "Yes, sensei." Shunsui followed suit with a similar murmur. A hundred questions swam through Juushiro's mind, but he kept them firmly behind closed lips. Now was not the time to annoy Yamamoto further.

They rose and bowed again to the assembled teachers, then hastily exited the courtroom.

* * *

 **Author's Note** : Happy Pride! In honor of Pride Month, I've got a question for all of you: what's your favorite Bleach ship? As you can probably guess, Shunsui/Juushiro is one of my favorite pairings, and I also like shipping Shunsui/Juushiro/Nanao. Both Izuru/Gin and Shuuhei/Kensei have special places in my heart, too (though the former is definitely more than a little messed up!) So what are some of your favorites?


	11. To Be a Real Shinigami

**Chapter 11: To Be a Real Shinigami**

Once they were outside, Juushiro turned his face to the sun and sighed. "I suppose I should wait for Shihoin-sensei; she did say that she wanted to talk to me." He really would have preferred to go take a nap and recover the rest of his spirit energy, but that wouldn't have been polite at all.

Shunsui gave him a sidelong glance. "You look like you're about to pass out," he commented.

Juushiro rolled his shoulders back and shook his head. "I'm fine, really." His roommate's concern brought a smile to his lips – though Shunsui's worries were touching, he had fought with far less energy than this.

Shunsui lifted an eyebrow, but before he could reply, Shihoin-sensei slipped out the door. "Oh, Ukitake-san, you're here. Good." She glanced at Shunsui. "Kyoraku-san, how's that essay for me coming?" Her tone was bland, as though she didn't have any idea that he hadn't written a single word for it.

Shunsui ducked his head. "Ah... it's going well, sensei," he murmured, scratching at the back of his neck and looking at anything but his teacher's eyes. Juushiro's lips twitched with amusement.

Shihoin-sensei's lips also twitched. "Well, you can ask Ukitake-san here for help; I promise I won't keep him long." She glanced at Juushiro and motioned in the direction of the office building. "That is, if you have time?"

Juushiro bowed. "Of course, sensei."

As soon as Juushiro slid the door to her office closed, Shihoin-sensei got straight to the point. "Ukitake-san, do you realize how rare your talent for kido is?"

Juushiro felt heat color his cheeks. "Sensei?"

She tapped her lacquered fingernails on her desk. "Your work in my lab has been exceptional; I've never seen you make a careless or hasty mistake. You're quick to understand the basic principles of kido, and you don't act recklessly. And…" She lifted a finger. "You staved off an attack from a released zanpakuto with only kido shields. Do you know how difficult that is?" She spread her hands, inviting him to respond.

Juushiro's head spun. "Ah… thank you, sensei," he murmured, bowing his head.

The corners of her lips twitched. "So polite, as always, Ukitake-san." He blushed harder, and she laughed. "I'm serious. You have an incredible talent for kido – give it a decade or so, and I suspect you'll be strong enough to count as a kido master."

Juushiro's breath caught in his throat at that. "I… ah… what?" he stammered. _A kido master? Me?_ It felt like a fever dream. With his illness, he'd never expected to have anywhere near the power to reach that level.

Shihoin-sensei chuckled. "Only if you keep studying, of course." She propped her elbows on her desk and leaned forward. "Speaking of which, how goes your search for a kido that bends sound the way Kyakko bends light?"

Juushiro blinked as he scrambled to keep up with the abrupt topic change. "It's, ah, it's going well," he informed her, silently thanking whatever kami had brought him the luck to find those scraps of parchment. "I found a few scraps that seem to describe something similar to what I'm looking for, though there's not quite enough information there to be sure."

"Hmmm…" Her forest green eyes flared with interest. "Do you have copies?"

Juushiro shook his head. "I do, but they're back in my room. However, if you have a slate, I can reproduce some of the drawings." He could remember the main set of linkage diagrams, at least.

Shihoin-sensei passed him a blank slate and a piece of chalk, and he began to sketch. After so much time spent staring at the diagrams, their basic structure was burned into his brain, but he was embarrassed to realize that he was lacking some of the finer details. Was that line a squiggle, or a zigzag? One described a bidirectional link, while the other was the symbol for a unidirectional one. And what was the symbol that had gone in that corner?

At last he rocked back on his heels and scrubbed a palm over his eyes. "That's all I've got," he admitted, shamefaced.

Shihoin-sensei accepted the slate from him and ran a finger over it, careful not to disturb the chalk lines. "This is quite good, Ukitake-san. Don't feel embarrassed by it; I don't expect you to recall every detail of a diagram as complicated as this. This…" She tapped the slate. "This is more than enough to give me a sense of what you've found." As she set the slate on her desk, a smile bloomed on her lips. "Apparently you have a talent for finding things in the archives, as well."

Juushiro ducked his head. "I suppose so." Though he suspected that that was more a matter of luck and persistence than anything else. Few other students had the patience to dig through the dusty, unorganized stacks in search of information of questionable value, especially when there was no guarantee of finding anything useful.

She grinned. "Diligence like that should be rewarded. How would you like to perform a kido experiment of your own?"

The question smacked into Juushiro like an out-of-control kido, leaving him with a dumbstruck expression. "A... really? You'd trust me to do that?"

"With supervision, of course," she added. "But I believe that you have the skill to reconstruct this kido that you found; it looks like there's enough here to give you a significant amount of its scaffolding."

"That would..." Juushiro forced a grin off of his face. "Sensei, that would be incredible!"

She smiled. "You can start on that the next time you're in the lab, then, so long as there's at least one senior researcher around."

Juushiro bowed deeply, pressing both of his palms flat on the floor. "Thank you, sensei. I won't let you down." He couldn't believe the depth of the trust she was exhibiting in him – it was enough to blow him away. Even with the fragments that he had found, it would take weeks of careful mathematics to reconstruct the full kido, and a single mistake could blow up everything in the lab.

As Shihoin-sensei nodded in acknowledgement, Juushiro rose to his feet and bowed again. "If that's all, sensei, I should get back to work." When she waved her hand in dismissal, he slid the door open and hurried down the hall, unable to contain his excitement any longer. A kido experiment that he got to direct... he couldn't wait to tell Shunsui!

Head buzzing with ideas for the experiment, Juushiro dashed out of the office building and nearly ran straight into Koji Sato, who was standing outside. The new student stumbled backwards in surprise, dropping the books and papers he had been holding, and Juushiro blushed. "I'm sorry, that's my fault. Here, let me help with that." He knelt and began to scoop up the scattered papers.

Koji's eyes narrowed. "An' what do ya want fer that?" he snarled in a rough Rukongai accent.

Juushiro blinked in surprise. "Ah, nothing."

Koji glared at him, then turned away and grabbed the rest of his papers. Juushiro sighed. _I really should have expected this_. The Rukongai-born commoner had no reason to trust a noble, even one as relatively low-born as Juushiro. _For that matter, I doubt he even knows who I am or who my family is – and he probably wouldn't care even if he did_.

Juushiro couldn't blame him for that, either. If his past few weeks had been anything like Juushiro's first year at the Academy, he'd probably received a bellyful of scorn from the other students by now. So, while it stung to be dismissed so casually, Juushiro did his best to push that feeling away. "Here." He handed Koji the papers that he'd collected, then hesitated. "You know, if you ever need help..."

Koji cut him off. "I don't need help from th' likes a you." His mouth wrinkled like he'd bitten into a lemon as he spun on his heel and stalked away.

"Wow, he's touchy." The feminine voice held mingled amusement and dismay.

Juushiro jumped as Rei and Mika emerged from around the corner, ashamed at himself for letting his frustration cloud his senses. Then he shrugged. "I understand where he's coming from."

Rei frowned. "Shouldn't he be grateful just to be here?" She twirled a lock of blond hair around her fingers. "I mean, he's the first commoner ever to attend the Academy. You'd think he'd be pleased to have such an opportunity."

Juushiro stifled a sigh. It was times like this that he was reminded of his differences, particularly from his higher-ranking classmates. As the scion of the Kuchiki family, Rei hailed from one of the Five Noble Families – she had probably never gone hungry a day in her life, or been told that she should be grateful for the scraps that she had received. Whereas Juushiro had been told over and over that he should be thankful that he was permitted to attend the Academy, that he shouldn't complain about the bullying and mistreatment because it made him sound ungrateful. Whether the commenter had been referring to his low birth or his illness, there had always been an unspoken assumption that Juushiro didn't really belong.

 _But how do I explain why that rankles to Kuchiki-san?_ Rei tended to hold a rather black and white view of the world – would she understand why someone might get frustrated with being told to be grateful?

While he was debating the matter, Mika spoke up. "You know, I bet he's lonely," she pointed out, watching as Koji took up a seat against one of the trees in the courtyard. "I bet he hasn't made any real friends here." She smoothed down her uniform top. "It can't be easy, being the first commoner here."

Rei shrugged. "If he can't survive here, there's no way he'd survive in a division."

Mika glanced at her friend, then shook her head. "I'm sure he's surviving, but that's not the same thing as thriving." She tossed her chocolate brown hair over her shoulder. "I'm going to ask him if he wants to study with us."

Rei opened her mouth to protest, but before she could say anything, Mika was already skipping over to where Koji sat. "Hey, um, you're Koji Sato, right?" He glanced up, suspicion written plainly on his face, and she beamed at him. "Sato-san, would you like to come study with us sometime? We usually spend a lot of time between classes in the library, if you're interested." Her smile turned hopeful as she waited for his response.

He blinked at her, clearly taken aback. "Why?" he demanded, accented voice harsh. "Why ask me?"

She shrugged. "Because you looked lonely." When he didn't respond immediately, her smile dimmed. "Don't feel obligated, though. If you want to study alone, that's okay too."

Koji's dark eyes locked onto Mika's. He studied her for a long moment, then ducked his head. "I dunno. Maybe I'll come by at some point, if ya really mean it." Uncertainty danced through his reiatsu despite his attempts to keep it smooth.

Mika clapped her hands. "Wonderful! Hopefully we'll see you in the library then!" She gave him another brilliant smile, then skipped back to Rei and Juushiro.

* * *

Juushiro didn't actually expect Koji to show up, but a few days later, there he was, standing nervously near the alcove where their group sat. "Ah..." He ran a hand through his hair. "Can one of ya help me with this?" He held out a thick book.

Mika rose. "Of course. What's the problem?" She gestured towards the seat between her and Taro. "Come, sit, and we'll see what we can figure out."

After that, Koji became a regular member of their study group. Mika, Juushiro, and Taro welcomed the addition – though the commoner wasn't in any of their classes, having been placed in a lower year, he still had some interesting insights. Rei initially made a few snotty remarks, but soon grew to accept Koji's presence as well.

Other students were far less accepting. Gorou Shiba's old gang, though subdued by the loss of their leader, made a habit of cruel remarks whenever they passed by. Several other sixth-years followed their lead, mocking the group until one of them snapped.

Usually, Rei was the one who got fed up first. Between her bloodlines and the icy mask she could don at will, she could usually send the sixth years scattering with a few cutting remarks. But the effort left her snappish and irritable for the rest of the study session.

At last, Juushiro had had enough. The next time Gorou's group came around, he rose and folded his arms across his chest. "Are you three children, or adults? Because right now, you're acting like the former."

Their leader sneered. "What are you implying, Ukitake? Are you looking for a fight?"

Taro pulled himself to his feet and took a stance behind Juushiro's shoulder. Though the muscular student didn't say anything, the older student took a step backwards. Then he caught himself and scowled. "You..."

Rei cut him off. Tossing her blond hair back, she propped her hands on her hips and glared at him. "You should be ashamed of yourselves. What would your families think of your new pastime?" She lifted one eyebrow. "Yapping dogs like you will never succeed in the Gotei Five, rest assured." A hint of a threat darkened her tone. Juushiro didn't know if she actually had any influence over her family's division, but she certainly didn't mind using their reputation when it suited her.

The sixth years quailed. "My apologies, Kuchiki-san," their leader murmured, bowing slightly. "We mean no disrespect to you or your family."

She waved a hand in arrogant dismissal. "Then you may go."

As they scurried away and his squad-mates congratulated Rei, Juushiro breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe now the could finally get some actual work done.

* * *

The peace lasted for several more weeks, until the day Ryuu came running into the library flushed and out of breath. "Guys! Guys! Did you hear?"

Taro pushed his book away. "Hear what?"

Ryuu bounced up and down on his toes. "We're going on a mission, leaving tomorrow! Five days of patrolling!"

"Calm down," Taro urged, closing his book. "Start from the beginning." He folded his hands in his lap and turned to face the excitable student, and the others did the same.

Ryuu grinned. "The senseis just announced it! All the squads are being assigned week-long practice patrols. They wanted it to be a surprise, which is why they didn't give us any warning. We're supposed to pack tonight and meet at the gates at sunrise!" He bounced once more. "Isn't it cool? We get to be real shinigami!" His reiatsu danced around the other students, practically quivering with excitement.

Rei and Mika exchanged glances. "What exactly did Kichiro-sensei say?" Rei asked coolly. "All students, or all noble male students?" Her lips pressed into a thin line as she waited for his response.

Ryuu slowed his bouncing. "Ah, well, he wasn't the one who announced it... But it sounded like it was everyone? Or, all fourth to sixth years, at least." He glanced uncomfortably at Koji. "Sorry, man. You'll get your chance."

Koji shrugged, careful to keep his face expressionless and reiatsu smooth. Even Juushiro couldn't detect any tension in the older student's energy, though he surely couldn't have been happy. "If'n I'm still 'ere in a year, maybe I'll get ta go then."

"I'm sure you will," Mika reassured him. "You're doing great so far." His lips twisted cynically, but he didn't contradict her as she turned to Rei. "We'd better figure out if we're included, though."

Rei smirked. "Oh, we're included. We just need to figure out if Kichiro-sensei knows it yet."

Juushiro bit his lip to keep from smiling at her icy, imperious tone. It was going to be an interesting – and hopefully enjoyable – week.

* * *

 _This is going to be a very long week_ , Shunsui thought gloomily. _What the hell am I doing, pretending to be a shinigami, going on patrol?_ He glared at the crumpled letter sitting on his desk. _Father certainly would be happy if I quit, judging by that_. The missive contained several carefully-worded admonishments to remember his station and not embarrass his family, with an undertone of resignation that implied that such embarrassment was fully expected anyway.

He reached under his cot and grabbed a half-full bottle of sake without looking. _Then again, since when did I start taking his advice?_ He hadn't bothered to listen to his father since he was about five years old. _So there's no point in starting now_.

He took a large swig of sake, smiling as it burned its way down his throat. His head swam pleasantly for a moment as the alcohol hit his bloodstream, though his reiatsu quickly burned away the majority of the effects. It took far more than a few gulps of sake to get him drunk now – ever since he started paying attention in class, he'd noticed that his alcohol tolerance had increased in direct relation to his reiatsu control.

That didn't prevent him from enjoying sake, but it did mean he had to drink more of it to get well and truly drunk. So he took another swallow, then another.

Ten minutes later, the bottle was empty and the room swam pleasantly around him. He leaned back against the wall and grinned at nothing. Everything always felt so much better like this, like there was a rose-tinted veil over the whole world. Even the letter resting on his desk didn't bother him so much now.

It still annoyed him, though. So he grabbed it and scrunched it into a tiny ball, then chucked it against the wall. It landed with a soft whuff on the floor and rolled under his cot, where he promptly forgot about it. It didn't matter, anyway. His father would never be proud of him, not like he was of Seiichi, so there was no point in trying.

Besides... Shunsui grinned. He had all the sake and female companionship that he could want, a gorgeous roommate who put up with all his eccentricities, and plenty of spending money as long as he didn't run completely amok. So he had very little to complain about.

He slid farther down the wall, rumpling his hakama, then glanced in surprise at the bottle in his hand. When had he finished that? Oh well, he could always grab another.

But all of the bottles under his bed were empty. He was rooting through them for a second time, head under the cot and butt up in the air, when the door slid open. Juushiro's amused voice rang out from behind him. "Kyoraku, what in kami's name are you doing?"

Shunsui pulled his head out from under his cot and grinned up at Juushiro. "Looking for sake," he informed the pale student. "Want to help?"

Juushiro knelt down next to him and peered into his eyes. "Are you drunk?" His tone wavered between amusement and disbelief, as though he couldn't decide which one was more appropriate.

Shunsui nodded exaggeratedly. "Isn't it great?" He tugged on a lock of Juushiro's silvery hair. "You know, you're really gorgeous." As the words came out of his mouth without stopping at his brain, he winced – maybe he was a bit more drunk than he thought.

But Juushiro didn't take offense and slap him, much to his relief. Instead, the pale student blushed. "I, ah, um... thank you?"

Shunsui beamed at him. "You are. And anyone who says otherwise is an idiot." As Juushiro stared at him in shock, Shunsui shifted his legs to one side and let his head fall onto the slender student's shoulder. "You really are..."

Juushiro's lips twitched. "How much have you had to drink?" he murmured.

Shunsui waved a languid hand towards the bottles. "Just half a bottle, I think. Not much." The sight of the empty bottles reminded him of his prior quest. He bounded upright. "I need to get more, though. Want to come?"

 _Please say yes_ , he urged silently. _Please come and have fun for once_. Shunsui loved it when he could get Juushiro to lighten up and relax for a bit. Though he'd never seen the white-haired student drunk – maybe that would become a new goal. _I bet he's absolutely adorable once he's got a few drinks in him_.

Juushiro hesitated, then shook his head. "I really should pack for the mission," he explained regretfully. "You should too, actually. We leave the Seireitei at dawn."

"Plenty of time to have fun, then," Shunsui replied, waving his arms in a grandiose gesture that nearly smacked Juushiro in the chest. "The night is young." He waved his arms again, forcing Juushiro to sway backwards to avoid the flailing.

"Plenty of time to get some rest," Juushiro corrected dryly.

Shunsui snorted. "You can rest when you're dead! Or, wait, no..." He shrugged. "Never mind." He turned pleading puppy-dog eyes on Juushiro. "You sure you're not coming?"

Again, Juushiro shook his head. "I really shouldn't."

Shunsui sighed. "Fine. In that case..." He leaned forward and gave Juushiro a kiss on the cheek. "A kiss for good luck," he explained, grinning at his speechless roommate. Then, before Juushiro could respond, he waltzed out the door, whistling to himself. _Someday I'll crack that shell of yours, Ukitake_ , he promised himself. _Someday_.

But right now, there were bars to find.

* * *

The first sliver of sun was peeking over the horizon as the students assembled before the massive gate leading out of the Seireitei. "Now remember," Kichiro-sensei said firmly, "Even though we will be patrolling in protected lands, you must keep your guard up. The Gotei 5 may guard these lands, but they are not safe." Juushiro nodded soberly, the hand clenched around the hilt of his asauchi the only sign of his tension. Beside him, Shunsui concealed a sleepy yawn with his hand before massaging his temples gingerly – the sake-loving student hadn't returned to their room until the early bells of the morning. Juushiro shook his head wryly. If Shunsui wanted to get drunk the night before their first practice patrol, that was his own business, no matter how stupid Juushiro regarded the decision. _At least his ribs have fully healed_.

Juushiro looked around the semicircle of students curiously. Rei looked as tired as Shunsui; dark circles under her eyes bore testament to a late night as well. Hikaru, beside her, kept half his attention on her and half on Kichiro-sensei. Mika stood on her other side, shifting her weight restlessly from one foot to another. Juushiro couldn't tell if she was nervous or bored, though he suspected the latter. Kichiro-sensei had already gone over such warning in exhaustive detail during class. By contrast, Taro's solid presence emanated calm. Aono, too, looked around placidly, though a white-knuckled grip on his sword betrayed his tension. Next to him, Ryuu bounced eagerly on his toes, eyes alight with excitement.

The sight made Juushiro smile. The black-haired student acted like Juushiro's younger brothers sometimes with his enthusiasm for life. _It's hard to believe that he's the same age as the rest of us sometimes_ , Juushiro thought to himself with amusement. But in class and mock battles, Ryuu was as focused and competent as anyone could wish for.

Truthfully, the class as a whole was a formidable force. But they had never been tested in a real combat situation before. Juushiro bit his lip. _That may well change after today_ , he realized. Though their goal was to learn how to act as a team on patrol, odds were good that they'd encounter at least one hollow before the patrol was finished. _Practice fights against a trapped hollow in the arena probably won't compare to that_ , Juushiro thought wryly. _For one thing, we haven't ever faced a hollow of any strength. The ones that may be drawn to our reiatsu will probably be far stronger than the little ones that we've practiced on_. Rather than make him nervous, the thought steadied him.

 _This is what I've been training for_ , he told himself. _Time to see if that training does any good_.

Kichiro-sensei raised a hand, and the guards began to haul open the gates. "Remember, stay alert," he ordered curtly. The assembled students saluted as one, and Kichiro snapped his hand down. Without needing prompting, the group leapt into shunpo, flashing out of the Seireitei in an orderly fashion. Taro and Aono led, with the rest of the students fanning out in a wedge behind them. Kichiro brought up the rear.

Juushiro shivered as the eerie aura of the shield surrounding the city passed over him. Judging by the startled expressions of his classmates, he wasn't alone in the sensation. Somehow he didn't remember it feeling that strange the last time he had passed through it – had they increased its strength, or had he gotten more sensitive? Kichiro laughed dryly. "Don't worry, you get used to it. As you continue to train, your ability to sense the shield will increase, but that's normal."

"It's cold and somehow the air feels kinda slimy," Shunsui complained under his breath. He rubbed his temples with a rueful expression, and Juushiro thought he could see a pasty tinge to his roommate's face.

Rei giggled. "Slimy? Really, Kyoraku, where'd you get that idea?" She tossed a playful glance in his direction.

"Less talking, more running," Kichiro-sensei ordered tersely. That shut them all up, though it didn't stop Shunsui's formless grumbles. Juushiro guessed that the running was exacerbating his roommate's throbbing headache, and felt a slight twinge of sympathy. Not too much, though. _Maybe it'll teach him to be more responsible_ , he thought without much hope.

To Shunsui's obvious relief, they didn't have to run for too long. Before they could start panting in earnest, Kichiro-sensei slowed them to a brisk walk. "We'll alternate walking and jogging until we reach the first campsite," he informed them, striding easily over the pitted dirt road. "If we make good time, we should reach it by the time the sun is beginning to set."

Shunsui groaned. "You mean we're going to keep moving like this all day? Do we get a break for lunch?" Ryuu nodded in agreement.

Kichiro didn't bother glancing over his shoulder to respond, but his disdain was obvious in his voice. "We will take a short break for lunch, yes." He sighed. "However, we won't stop until we reach the forest." He indicated the line of trees barely visible in the distance. Shunsui groaned again, shifting his shoulders to resettle his pack more firmly on his hips.

"Alright, that's enough." Kichiro-sensei spun on his heel to face the group. They all skidded to a halt. "You all want to be shinigami, right?"

"Yes, sir!" they chorused. Juushiro noticed that even Shunsui chimed in, though he did bear a rather doubtful expression.

Kichiro nodded. "Good. Then act like it," he ordered brusquely. "Be on your guard for hollows and don't complain about how tired you are, or," he glanced disparagingly at Shunsui, "how hungover you are." He motioned to the road. "Our patrol will start now." He jerked his head at Taro. "Kannogi, you're on point. Nakamura, Kira, behind him." His gaze switched to Juushiro and Shunsui. "Ukitake, take the flank. Kyoraku, rear guard with Hibiki." Looking at Rei and Mika, he added, "Girls, you're in the center. Remember, if combat breaks out, you do not fight unless it's absolutely necessary. I'll take the other flank." Rei wrinkled her nose, but didn't argue. Both girls knew they were lucky that Kichiro-sensei had allowed them on the mission in the first place.

Kichiro barked the command to move out, and the group headed down the road at an easy lope. It was the same pace they maintained during their runs about the Seireitei, a pace they could continue for bells. As they traveled, Juushiro studied the fields around them, searching for danger. _There are probably no hollows around here_ , he told himself, _but it can't hurt to be careful_. The men on the flanks were scouts, searching for signs of hollows to provide advanced warning. Juushiro knew he had been chosen because of his reiatsu sensitivity, and was determined to make his sensei proud.

However, at the moment, he couldn't detect even the slightest trace of hollow activity. The only things he could sense were the reiatsu of his classmates and the growl of Ryuu's stomach as the black-haired student pounded along next to Shunsui.

That growl had spread to everyone by the time Kichiro-sensei called them to a halt for a late lunch under a massive oak tree. They shed their packs with a grateful sigh; Shunsui immediately collapsed into a spread-eagled pose. "I am never getting up again," he groaned.

Rei flopped down next to him. "I don't blame you," she murmured, fanning herself. "Who would have thought a pack would make running so much harder?"

"Yeah, seriously," Ryuu agreed, dropping down onto the grass on Shunsui's other side. "Kami, I feel like I could eat a horse." His stomach gave a particularly loud gurgle at that, but he was too tired to blush.

"This is not a time to relax," Kichiro-sensei barked, startling all three students into bolting upright. "What if a hollow attacked right now? You're sprawled on the ground, weapons trapped under your packs... what would you do then?"

"Ask it to eat me before I perished of starvation," Shunsui muttered flippantly.

As Rei giggled, Kichiro glared at him. "This is not a game, Kyoraku-san. The lives of your teammates depend on you. Do you want to get one of them killed because you can't take your responsibilities seriously?" He folded his arms across his chest and narrowed his eyes, clearly waiting for a response.

A dull blush spread across Shunsui's cheeks, but before he could answer, Rei waved a hand. "Hey, we're safe here," she pointed out. "There's no way a hollow could attack us here." She pulled her spine straight and gave a little bow of her head. "However, we will do better in the future."

"Hmph." Kichiro-sensei frowned, not wholly mollified by her answer. "See that you do." He turned to the rest of the students and barked an order for them to eat their lunch quickly. If they were going to reach their first campsite before full dark, they had to keep moving.

Shunsui dug his lunch out of his pack and stared gloomily at the slightly squashed bento box. "This is going to be a long week..."

Juushiro sank gracefully into a cross-legged position at his side, giving him an encouraging smile. "Cheer up, Kyoraku. It's only a week. It won't be that bad." He patted the disconsolate student on the shoulder.

Shunsui smirked and tugged on a lock of Juushiro's hair, mood shifting back to cheer with mercurial swiftness. "Well, so long as I have your gorgeous presence with me, I suppose I can endure." He fluttered his eyelashes at the pale student.

Juushiro blushed a hot scarlet. "Eat your lunch, Kyoraku," he laughed, covering his face with his hands. "If you keep flirting, I might start to think you mean it."

Shunsui beamed at him. "Who says I don't?" He fluttered his lashes again, tilting his head to one side in a goofy attempt to look coy.

Juushiro smacked his shoulder, then gave him a mock-stern look. "Eat your lunch."

* * *

 **Author's Note** : Major thanks to CK, Reiyuryuu, EmpressSaix, and euforie for the lovely reviews on the last chapter! I hope you all enjoyed this one – I'm not sure I like it, but I didn't want to delay the update while I tinkered with it. Let me know what you think! Constructive criticism is the only way for me to grow as a writer, so if you didn't like something, I'd love to know.


	12. Dance of Swords

**Chapter 12: Dance of Swords**

Nobles truly were crazy, the woman known as Whisper reflected. Never satisfied with what they had, no – first they desperately needed something, then they couldn't stand the sight of it.

She smiled grimly. Then again, that didn't matter much to her, as long as she was getting paid. And this particular commission was going to be very lucrative.

Though... she grimaced. She had a bad feeling about the whole situation. Why had that man – boy, really – been so desperate to get rid of the mirror now slung awkwardly over her shoulder? His eyes had been red-rimmed and bloodshot, as though he hadn't slept in a week, when he contacted her. At first, she'd thought he was just another rich noble son, seeking her out on a dare, but the heavy purse he'd dropped in front of her had convinced her that he was deadly serious. Her heart had skipped a beat when she'd peeked inside – and then he'd informed her that he'd double the payment if she could do the job that very night.

Well, for a hundred gold coins, Whisper wasn't about to say no, even if the request struck her the wrong way. Why did he want her to leave the mirror in the middle of the wilderness, anyway? It was a priceless artifact; surely he could have sold it if he wanted it gone.

Admittedly, she had a strong suspicion that he was not the actual owner of the mirror, which may have contributed to the oddness of his request. Though she had never learned the true identity of the person who had initially contracted her to steal the mirror, as all of their business had been conducted via representatives, she'd learned enough to guess that they were older, powerful, and very sure of themselves. The boy, on the other hand, was none of those things.

Whisper paused to wipe the sweat from her brow, leaning the mirror against a nearby tree trunk. He wasn't paying her to ask questions, she reminded herself. Just to drag the damn thing as far away as possible.

She glared at it. Even under its layers of warded silk wrappings, she could feel its power reaching towards her. Was it just her imagination, or had it gotten stronger since the last time she'd touched it? There was a definite aura of malignancy to it now, a sense that it was lying in wait for something. It reminded her of a snake coiled to strike: hungry, yet perfectly patient until the right opportunity arose. Not hungry like a hollow, though; this was something simultaneously wilder and more intelligent.

Whisper firmly pushed the sensations away, then picked up the mirror again. She still had many miles to go, and scaring herself would do her no good.

As she resumed her trek through the shadowed forest, she kept an ear perked for any signs of guards, but they were nowhere to be found. The noble brat must have made good on his promise and distracted the shinigami who were supposed to patrol the forest. That was a relief – she didn't relish attempting to hide from patrols while lugging around an unwieldy artifact the size of her torso.

Especially when the thing was misbehaving.

She tightened her grip on the silk-wrapped package and tried to move a little faster. Lucrative or not, she was never accepting another commission like this.

* * *

The forest was dead quiet that night, the fourth night of the practice patrol. A crescent moon hung low above the trees, providing scant illumination of the tangled undergrowth. Somewhere far in the distance, an owl hooted, then fell silent. A gentle breeze blew intermittently, carrying with it the faint, cool scent of an approaching snowstorm.

Shunsui lounged against a tree, gazing sleepily out into the darkened forest. His asauchi hung heavily at his waist, bumping awkwardly at his hip as he tried to find a more comfortable position. At last he gave up, sinking into a sprawl at the base of the tree. It wasn't like there was any danger. If, against all expectations, a hollow showed up, he'd be able to hear it long before it became a threat. He rolled his eyes. _We're in safe territory, why do we have to set watches?_ he thought rebelliously. _Nothing happened the last three nights, and nothing is going to happen tonight, either. This is stupid_.

Maybe a half bell of interminable boredom passed before he heard the telltale cracking of footsteps coming towards his position. He sat up, sending a questing tendril of reiatsu to investigate. "Hey there, Mika," he called, slumping back against the rough bark.

Mika sighed in mock resignation. "I should have known I couldn't sneak up on you," she chuckled as she slipped through the trees to stand in front of him.

He grinned up at her. "If you'd concealed your spirit energy, you'd have much more luck." Though she still probably couldn't sneak up on him. Juushiro had – albeit reluctantly – been helping him to sensitize his reiatsu detection. Mika was skilled, but nowhere near his roommate's level.

She laughed, dropping to the ground next to him. "Are you as bored as I am?"

He nodded, interlacing his fingers behind his head. "I don't know why they're making us have watches at all, much less forcing us to do it in pairs," he complained.

Mika rolled her eyes. "At least it's better than doing it alone," she remarked, glancing sideways at him.

He smirked. "Very true." Digging around in his pockets, he unearthed a small silver flask. "Care for a drink? Purely to keep warm, of course."

She blushed, looking flustered, before accepting the flask from him with a shy smile. "Sure, I guess it can't hurt."

Shunsui returned her smile, eying her appreciatively. Though he usually avoided sleeping with his classmates – too much potential for drama – he had to admit that she was a gorgeous girl. The moonlight gleamed on her long, auburn hair, and the soft fabric of her uniform caressed impressive curves. It wasn't as flattering an outfit as it could have been, but she didn't need artificial enhancement.

 _I don't think she knows that, though_ , he realized as she shifted position, heedless of the way her uniform highlighted her breasts. He knew he was supposed to be on watch, but the subtle scent of her perfume was very distracting. She took another sip of sake before passing him the flask, a mischievous look in her eyes.

Shunsui raised an eyebrow. "Now, you look like you're plotting something," he teased. "Care to share?" As she blushed and giggled, he swallowed a mouthful of sake, enjoying the fiery taste. It made his head spin pleasantly, though it would take more than that to get him drunk.

Apparently the alcohol hit Mika harder, though, for she laughed and draped her head against his arm. "Do you ever wonder why you came here?" she asked dreamily. "Or what you'll do when you get out?"

"Sweetheart, it was either attend the Academy or spend the rest of my life as a living dress-up doll for my family," Shunsui informed her dryly. "I came here because I hate fancy clothes." His tone was light, though he was perfectly serious. If he'd remained trapped in the hell of expectations and resentment that his family had created, he'd have gone mad. They had shipped him off to the Academy as a last-ditch effort to reform his behavior.

Mika, oblivious to the frustration her question had roused, snorted. "Oh, come on, I bet you'd look perfectly lovely in a formal kimono!"

"Lovely?" Shunsui inquired, pretending to be affronted. "Handsome, dashing, or even charming perhaps, but not _lovely_."

Mika shook her head firmly. "No, I think lovely is definitely the right word," she laughed. He pouted at her, making her laugh harder. "I'll prove it. Stay right here!" She jumped up and dashed away, leaving him to look after her in bemusement. What was she going to go do?

He took a few more sips from his flask while he waited impatiently.

His question was answered several minutes later when Mika trotted back into the clearing, a bundle of fabric in her arms. She shook it out, revealing a long, flowing kimono. In the dark, Shunsui couldn't see the color, but he had the horrible suspicion that it was Mika's favorite color – pink. "No," he said firmly. "Oh, no. Mika, darling, there is no way I'm putting that on."

Ignoring him completely, she tossed the kimono at him. "Just try it on!" She gave him a pleading look, subtly posing to emphasize her curves.

He sighed, eying the kimono with distaste. "Why do you even have this with you?" he asked, stalling for time.

"You realize how close we are to the Shiba estates, right?" Mika asked rhetorically. "If we end up visiting them, there's no way I'm appearing in my uniform. My mother would kill me!" Shunsui rolled his eyes. According to her stories, Mika's mother – though only a lesser noble – was the most uptight, overbearing, status-conscious woman in the Soul Society.

"I'm surprised you could fit it in your pack," he commented.

She shrugged. "It wasn't that hard. Now, try it on!" She prodded him playfully in the chest with a finger.

"Why?" Shunsui complained.

Mika widened her eyes, leaning forward to give him an adorable puppy-dog look. The lilac scent of her perfume wreathed around him. "Please?" she asked softly, clasping her hands in front of her chest.

Shunsui swallowed hard. He didn't know if she realized the effect she was having, but he thoroughly approved. "Alright," he relented. _It can't hurt_. He took a step backwards, pulling the kimono on over his uniform. The hem only came to mid-calf, while the sleeves pulled up above his wrists. _I probably look ridiculous_. But he spread his arms anyway, turning in a slow circle for her approval. "What do you think?"

She conjured a kido light, laughing. _Of course it had to be pink_ , Shunsui thought dolefully, looking down at himself. But he forgot any hint of embarrassment as she stepped closer, accidentally brushing her fingertips across his chest as she adjusted the folds of the kimono. "I think it looks lovely," she decided, nodding approvingly. Her eyes sparkled wickedly. "In fact, I…"

She never got to finish her sentence. From out of nowhere, a blast of red light slammed through her back, cutting off her speech. She gasped in shock, falling forward into Shunsui's arms. He stared at her stupidly for a second, unable to comprehend what was happening. Then the air whistled and another blast crashed into Mika's back.

Shunsui's combat reflexes kicked in, sending him tumbling to the side. He dragged Mika with him, snuffing her flickering light with a breath of reiatsu. Her breath rasped harshly against his shoulder, and he could feel wetness spreading alarmingly fast through his kosode. She whimpered wordlessly, clutching at his shirt with weak fingers.

"Hold on," he whispered. Another fireball smashed into the tree above his head, showering them with bark. Mika flinched, hissing breathily. Shunsui did his best to cover her with his body as he snarled, "Bakudo 8: Seki!" A round translucent shield sprang into being above them, just in time to catch a fourth blast. It blew apart as it ran into the shield, and Shunsui stared at it in horrified fascination. _What the hell is going on?_

"Shun?" Mika whispered. He looked down to see her clutching her chest, blood pouring over her hands. Burnt skin protruded grotesquely from beneath her fingers. "What's..." she took a shaky breath, "happening?"

"Don't talk," he ordered her quietly. _Damn it, I wish I could heal that_ , he thought furiously. But healing burns wasn't taught until their final year, and none of them had the necessary reiatsu control yet. _Maybe ,Juushiro could, though_ , he thought frantically, helping Mika press down on her wound. Blood covered his hands, gluing his sleeves to his wrists.

"Alert… camp," Mika breathed, and Shunsui cursed fervently. He'd almost forgotten about that!

"Hado 32: Okasen!" he roared, firing a wash of yellow energy directly upwards. It exploded in the sky like a macabre version of fireworks, giving him the first glimpse of their opponents. Hollows, misshapen bodies covered in bone armor, stood brazenly at the edge of the clearing. Two of them kept their glittering eyes trained on the pair of shaken students, while the rest appeared to be waiting for something. Before the glare of the kido faded, Shunsui thought he counted six or seven hollows in total. _Fuck_ , he thought savagely. _I really hope someone in camp noticed that flare_. Just to be sure, he sent another hado screaming into the night sky, accompanied by a flare of reiatsu.

Mika gasped under the sudden increase of spiritual pressure. Her own reiatsu rose to meet it, but even at her best she couldn't match Shunsui's strength. Now, injured and weakened, her energy barely flickered.

Shunsui knew his spiritual pressure had to be hurting Mika, but he couldn't relent. It wasn't until he sensed Juushiro's answering flare that he furled his reiatsu. "Help is on the way," he murmured, but Mika couldn't hear him. She lay deathly still in his lap, with only a flutter of reiatsu to prove she was still alive. "No, Mika, no," he begged, heedless of the enemy beyond his bakudo shield. "Please don't die!"

 _Why aren't they attacking?_ he wondered with the corner of his mind not solely focused on Mika. The dark obscured their movements, but it looked like they were just standing there. Waiting. _For what, though?_

Then the first of his classmates burst through the trees, and there was no more time for thought.

The hollows were powerful and lightning fast, more than a match for any individual Academy student. Almost immediately, Shunsui saw Aono Kira go down under an expertly placed swing of claws. He stumbled upright a few seconds later, but his movements were uncoordinated and his arm was bleeding freely. Kichiro-sensei's voice echoed through the battlefield, roaring incomprehensible orders. Juushiro's ivory hair gleamed under the moonlight, and Shunsui could feel his reiatsu crashing around everyone like a tempest as he wielded kido and blade simultaneously.

Shunsui clutched Mika to his chest, maintaining his Seki shield, until Rei Kuchiki hurried over to them. The buxom blonde's hair streamed in messy tangles down her back, and her light sleeping kimono was splashed with gore. She carried a bloody asauchi in one hand, though she sheathed it as she knelt beside Shunsui. "Go," she ordered fiercely. "I've got her. Go fight, they need you."

Reluctantly, Shunsui released his hold on Mika. Her reiatsu was barely detectable now, and he couldn't feel her heartbeat at all. Rei glared at him, promising violence if he didn't obey her immediately. It was the exact same expression his mother used whenever she thought he was being disobedient. Meekly, Shunsui nodded in acquiescence. He gently laid Mika's body on the ground, dropping the kido shield. Rei immediately snapped her own shield in place, covering both her roommate and herself. "Go," she urged again.

Shunsui went.

Somehow, he found himself fighting back-to-back with Juushiro. The chaos of the battle raged around them; the dark made it nearly impossible to tell friend from foe. Shunsui cut and hacked, ignoring the burn in his muscles and the sweat dripping into his eyes. Behind him, Juushiro maintained a constant stream of kido chants, only broken by grunts as he blocked one-handed. _Where is everyone?_ Shunsui wondered. Kichiro-sensei's voice came from somewhere to his left, and he could hear the screams and clangs of battle all around, but he could only catch glimpses of his fellow students.

He couldn't spare a moment to search for their reiatsu, however. His world had narrowed to the endless brutal dance of strikes and blocks, and it required all his concentration to stay alive. He brought his asauchi up in a slanted block, catching a vicious blow aimed at his shoulder, but the riposte caught him by surprise. Only fancy footwork saved him from a nasty gut wound. Dimly, he heard Juushiro curse, but his roommate's spiritual pressure remained strong, so he couldn't have been wounded too badly. It must have hurt, though – Juushiro never swore.

Back and forth, the blade weighing more heavily in his hands by the minute, Shunsui traded blows with the masked monster in front of him. Minor cuts scattered across his forearms, and his side ached fiercely from a blow that had snaked around his guard. Dazzling bursts of kido sent uneven, intermittent shadows across the ground, turning trees into enemies and hollows into near-invisible shadows.

"Get down!" Juushiro yelled suddenly.

Shunsui hit the dirt. A massive explosion singed his hair, blasting dust outwards in a rapidly-expanding ring. White light seared his eyes. He sensed more than saw his opponent stumble backwards, claws drooping towards the ground. All around, he heard cries and yells of pain. The hollow in front of him swayed and dropped to its knees, shaking its head. "What did you do?" he asked in amazement, scrambling back upright. He lunged towards the downed hollow and drove his blade into its mask.

Juushiro swayed on his feet, dropping to one knee. "Explain later," he panted. His asauchi fell from his limp hand, and Shunsui saw the blood running down his arm.

"Shit!" Shunsui swore, lunging towards his roommate just as Juushiro toppled forwards. He crumpled into the dirt just as Shunsui got a hand on his shoulder, resulting in Shunsui kneeling by his side in a futile attempt to stop his fall. "Damn it, Ukitake!"

A wordless roar sounded above him. Shunsui looked up, instinctively grabbing the blade next to his left hand as he rose hastily to his feet. A furious hollow lunged at him, slavering mouth gaping wide open and scythe-like claws swinging wildly. Shunsui caught the claws with the sword in his left hand, slicing towards the hollow's torso with the other sword he held. The creature yelped as the asauchi bit deep into its side, catching on its ribs with a crack. It swung again, and Shunsui dodged, forcing the hollow to back away from Juushiro. The two swords felt comfortable in his hands as he blocked and slashed, never allowing the hollow near his unconscious roommate.

Suddenly, a high-pitched scream echoed through the trees. The hollow whipped its head around as one of its companions disintegrated with a wail. Shunsui took advantage of its distraction to leap into the air. He balanced there for a brief moment, lining up his shot, then fell like a stone, driving the tips of both swords into the hollow's mask. The creature made no sound as it dissolved into dust.

Shunsui looked around as the clamor of battle slowly faded into silence. Piles of dust spotted the forest floor all around him. Somehow, they had killed all of the hollows. Shunsui relaxed his clenched fingers, laying Juushiro's asauchi beside him with a murmured apology.

Only then, with blood drying on his blade, did he look down and realize that he still wore Mika's pink kimono.

Liberally splashed with gore and encrusted with dirt, ripped and torn in places, it bore scant resemblance to the elegant kimono Mika had called lovely. Shunsui only hoped that Mika would be alive to reprimand him for it. With one last glance around for enemies, he left a weakly-stirring Juushiro and sprinted through the trees to where he'd left Rei and Mika.

Rei raised a tear-stained face to him as he skidded to a halt, and he felt his heart skip a beat. "Is she?" he started.

Rei shook her head, cutting him off. "She's gone," she whispered, voice raspy.

Shunsui sank to his knees, staring numbly at the girl who'd been so alive only a bell before. "Gone?" he repeated stupidly. Reaching out, he brushed Mika's curly brown hair out of her eyes. They stared blankly upwards, lacking any spark of life or laughter. "No," he murmured hopelessly.

"What the hell happened?" Rei snarled, the grief in her voice transmuting to anger.

"I think we'd all like to know that," Kichiro-sensei said sternly. He laid a calming hand on Rei's shoulder. "But right now we have injured to care for and a camp to fortify. Explanations can wait."

So for the next few bells, Shunsui joined his classmates in wrapping bandages, hauling water, and collecting firewood. It was mind-numbing, tedious work, which suited Shunsui perfectly. He didn't want to think about Mika's look of shock and confusion as the first blast slammed through her, or the way her blood had felt on his skin. Shunsui grimaced. Now his hands were covered in a gruesome mixture of gore, dirt, and sweat – hardly any more pleasant.

At last Kichiro-sensei pronounced their work complete. Everyone huddled next to the blazing fire, wrapped in blankets to ward off the icy nip of the air. They were exhausted to the bone, grey-faced and trembling, and it showed in their reiatsu. Juushiro, pale complexion transformed to a ghastly white, insisted on putting up kido wards in case the hollows returned. With Kichiro's help, he managed it, but nearly fell flat on his face afterwards.

"No more kido in the next few days," Kichiro ordered brusquely. Juushiro nodded wearily, stumbling to a log near the fire. He collapsed on it, tipping over so far he nearly landed on Hikaru. The sandy-haired boy steadied him adroitly, though he looked just as terrible. Kichiro studied him critically for a moment, until it became clear he wasn't about to faint, then turned to Shunsui. "So, Kyoraku, your report?"

Shunsui gulped. He rose trepidatiously to face his sensei, assuming a respectful posture. "I took over the watch from Ryuu Hibiki and Taro Kannogi, along with Mika Fujimoto," he began, staring steadily straight ahead. "Approximately a half bell passed before Mika-san came to find me." His fingers locked together nervously behind his back. "We were talking when a blast of red energy struck her in the back." Sending her falling against him, blood seeping through his clothes. He swallowed hard. "I conjured a Seki shield and used Okasen to alert the camp." Shunsui looked over at Mika's body, motionless under a canvas tarp. Words failed him, and he looked back at Kichiro mutely.

"Why were you two talking?" Kichiro demanded.

Shame burned in Shunsui's gut as he answered. "We were bored," he admitted miserably.

"And that's why you're wearing a woman's kimono?"

Shunsui gripped the sleeves firmly. Dried muck crunched under his fingers, but he ignored it. "Yes," he replied, unable to look his sensei in the eye.

"Damn it, Kyoraku!" Rei snarled. "Couldn't you have behaved responsibly for once?" Her eyes, red and puffy from crying, shot daggers at him. She clutched her forearms tightly, nails digging into her sleeves as though she was holding herself back from punching him. Shunsui hung his heart, feeling the accusation hit home. _If only I hadn't flirted with Mika, hadn't focused on her instead of keeping watch, maybe she'd be alive right now_ , he thought unhappily.

"We thought we were in safe territory," Ryuu pointed out, leaping to Shunsui's defense.

Rei glared at him. "Doesn't matter! And now Mika's dead, because Kyoraku couldn't keep it in his pants!"

"Now, that's enough," Kichiro interceded sternly. "Kuchiki, I understand you're upset, but maintain a respectful tone."

"No, she's right," Shunsui said lowly. "It's my fault Mika is dead." Unable to stay next to her cooling corpse any longer, Shunsui discarded his blanket and stood. "I… need to pee," he blurted out, hurrying away from the fire and the accusing faces without waiting for a response.

Behind him, he heard Kichiro sigh. "Ukitake, follow him," he ordered wearily. "I don't want anyone going out there alone, and despite everything you've done you're still more mobile than most of the group."

Shunsui resented the implication that he needed a babysitter, but he wasn't about to turn around and argue. _Let him follow me all he wants_ , he growled silently. Ignoring the dragging footsteps behind him, Shunsui pulled out his flask and drained it in one swallow. The sake burned its way down his throat, interposing a gossamer web of numbness between him and the memories. Reaching into another pocket, he pulled out a second flask, drinking half of it in a gulp. The rush of alcohol made his head spin. That, combined with his exhaustion, nearly sent him stumbling into a tree, but he recovered just in time. "Meant to do that!" he slurred, unsure if Juushiro was close enough to hear him.

The white-haired teen caught up to him when he tripped over a tree root and decided dizzily that the ground was rather comfortable, after all. "Kyoraku, what in the world are you doing?" Juushiro asked wearily, peering down at him.

"Relaxing," Shunsui mumbled. "You should try it some time."

"Are you drunk?" Juushiro asked suspiciously.

Shunsui furrowed his eyebrows. "Yes?" he replied finally, making it a question.

Juushiro folded his arms, eying him with disgust. "Please tell me you weren't drinking while on guard duty."

Shunsui rolled over to his back, flinging his arms out wide. "Look at the stars, Ukitake, and tell me it's not a good night for a drink or two."

Juushiro nudged him with a toe. "Does that mean you were drinking on duty?" he asked, horrified.

"Just a sip or two to stay warm," Shunsui explained, flushing – he couldn't tell if it was due to embarrassment or alcohol. _Probably the former_ , a snide voice inside his head pointed out. _Maybe if you hadn't been drinking, Mika would still be alive_. Shunsui groaned, taking another drink to silence that part of himself. Maybe if he got drunk enough, it would all turn out to be a very bad dream.

Unfortunately, the hands that seized his collar and hauled him upright dispelled that illusion. _Damn, Ukitake's strong_ , Shunsui thought fuzzily. "What the hell were you thinking?" Juushiro snarled, anger and pain warring for dominance in his tone.

Shunsui hung his head, shame washing over him full-force. "I don't know," he murmured. The alcohol wasn't doing much to shield him from the pain and guilt eating away at him.

"That's right," Juushiro responded acidly. "You never think. Always drunk and chasing skirts, never focusing on what you're supposed to do. No wonder your family washed their hands of you." Shunsui flinched, but Juushiro wasn't done. "Now your incompetence has gotten Mika killed. I hope you're happy." Only the raw pain in his voice prevented Shunsui from taking a swing at him for that.

"Just go away and leave me alone," he muttered, burying his face in his sleeve. Somehow, despite all the gore, it still bore the faint scent of Mika's lilac perfume. _Damn it, Mika, I'm sorry!_ he cried silently.

Juushiro laughed bitterly. "As much as I'd like to do that, Kichiro-sensei would have my head. So you're stuck with me until you can drag your sorry ass back to camp." Another pang of guilt stabbed Shunsui as he recalled that Mika, Juushiro, and Taro had spent almost every evening studying together, laughing and talking until late in the night. _And now he thinks it's my fault she died_ , Shunsui realized. The thought made him feel even worse. He upended the flask into his mouth, but only a few drops fell out. He looked at it in bemusement. What happened to all of his sake?

Juushiro snorted caustically. "Not drunk enough yet?"

"Nope," Shunsui mumbled. He lay still after that, and eventually Juushiro sank into seiza facing him. The cold seeped through his clothes, biting into his skin, until it felt like he would never be warm again, but Shunsui figured it was no more than he deserved. Juushiro bore the chill without complaint, kneeling patiently as he waited for the dawn. The one time Shunsui raised his head, it looked like Juushiro was meditating.

As the first rays of sun finally began to creep over the horizon, Juushiro broke the silence. "Ready to return?" His cold, polite tone held no hint of his emotions.

Shunsui nodded, not bothering to respond. He pulled himself to his feet, hissing as abused muscles complained. His ribs, in particular, voiced their discomfort with the long bells spent on the cold ground. Probably broken, Shunsui diagnosed critically. It wouldn't be the first time, or even the tenth. Though he still quailed at seeing Mika's cold body, he couldn't justify staying out there any longer.

"We're returning to the Academy," Kichiro announced as they made their limping way back into camp. "With the injuries we've sustained, continuing the patrol is foolish." His mouth thinned. "We'll hold Fujimoto-san's funeral when we return." None of them argued, though the prospect of transporting a corpse was not a pleasant one. "I sent a hell butterfly to Yamamoto-sensei; he is sending a troop of guards to escort us back. They should be here in the next few bells," Kichiro continued.

"How?" Aono asked. "We're three days away from the Academy."

Rei, hair matted with sweat and dried blood, favored him with a sardonic glance. "Shunpo, obviously." None of them could use it for more than a few jumps – not even Juushiro, who had the best reiatsu control of any of them – but a troop of skilled fighters could cover an incredible amount of land with it.

Aono nodded, abashed. Shunsui noticed that he was favoring his right arm, cradling it against his chest as he rolled up his bedroll. Rei bore her own injuries with careless grace, as if they didn't trouble her in the slightest. Shunsui wished he possessed her composure, but he couldn't prevent the occasional grimace from crossing his face as his movements irritated his broken ribs.

By the time the soldiers, wearing the insignia of Yamamoto's personal troops, arrived, all of them were weary and sweating with pain. Tents that a pair of uninjured students could easily put up were far harder to take down with assorted broken bones. Poor Ryuu, hobbling around on a broken ankle from tripping over a rock, looked particularly miserable. But he'd still managed to help pack up their camp and erase most of the signs of their presence. When the soldiers noticed his pain, they loaded him onto a stretcher and forbade him to move. After that, they took charge of their packs, strapped Mika's body onto another stretcher, and finalized the camp cleanup. The sense of order they brought to the demoralized students was possibly the only thing that kept them moving.

It began snowing as they made their painfully slow way out of the forest, putting the crowning touch on an already miserable day. By the time they made camp, their frozen fingers could barely fumble through the steps to set up the tents.

It took them five days to reach the Academy. Mika's parents, weeping, met them at the gates. Shunsui couldn't watch as her mother demanded explanations from Kichiro-sensei, growing increasingly hysterical. Tears streamed freely down her face as she berated their leader for incompetence and negligence, blaming him for her daughter's death. As her voice grew shriller, Kichiro's face turned stony. After a particularly piercing tirade, she attempted to slap him, and he caught her wrist in a firm grip. "I am very sorry for your loss, Fujimoto-sama, but this display is unbecoming of a noble," he announced sternly. "Please compose yourself."

Her husband took her by the arm, drawing her backwards. "Please, Akiya, let's return to our rooms," he urged. Facing Kichiro, he bowed formally. "I apologize for my wife's behavior."

Kichiro returned his bow, a sympathetic expression on his face. "I understand your grief. Please, if there's anything I can do, let me know." As Mika's parents retreated, he turned to the students. "You are dismissed. If you are injured, report to the healers. We will hold the funeral tomorrow morning." They bowed to him, and he followed Mika's family into the entrance hall of the Academy. Yamamoto's guards had already dispersed, taking her body with them.

Rei, eyes red from constant weeping, re-shouldered her pack with a grimace. She opened her mouth, as if she wanted to say something, but shut it after a moment with a lost look. Without bothering to bid them farewell, she hurried off towards the dormitories.

Her departure broke the frozen stillness holding them captive. Ryuu, limping with the help of Taro, headed to the healers, while Aono and Hikaru followed Rei towards the dorms. Shunsui looked at Juushiro, whose pale, drawn face bore evidence of too many sleepless nights. They'd returned to speaking terms over the course of the journey, but neither felt comfortable around the other. Shunsui couldn't shake his guilt over Mika's death, and Juushiro had withdrawn into himself, scarcely talking during the journey.

Juushiro looked up, and Shunsui winced at the bleakness in his green eyes. "Are you alright?" he asked softly. Juushiro nodded jerkily. Shunsui didn't know how to respond to that, so he didn't even try. Instead, he heaved his pack onto his back and led the way to their room. _Kami, I could use a drink_.

That desire quadrupled when he tossed his pack onto his bed, roughly yanking at the straps holding it closed, and Mika's pink kimono spilled out. Stained with dried blood and dirt, slashed and ripped, it nevertheless held a faint trace of her lilac scent. Shunsui buried his face in the silky fabric, shuddering. Mika's laughing face swam before his eyes, a silent accusation. Behind him, Juushiro choked before murmuring something inaudible and fleeing the room. Shunsui flopped down on his bed, rolling over and cradling the kimono to his chest. _Damn it_ , he cursed brokenly, unable to think past the blinding guilt. He fumbled under the cot, searching for his sake stash, only to come up empty-handed. After a few minutes of swearing under his breath, he sat up, laying the kimono gently to the side. This, at least, was a problem he could solve.

* * *

 **Author's Note** : My apologies for the belated chapter! Life has been hectic recently, and my depression has not been helping in the slightest. But I hope this makes up for the wait.


	13. Only the Good Die Young

**Chapter 13: Only the Good Die Young**

Juushiro returned to his room bells later, expecting to find Shunsui passed out in a pile of sake bottles. But the room was deserted and freezing, no fire kindled in the little stove in the corner. A quick kido spell sent warmth coursing through the room while Juushiro gathered kindling and laid the fire. The stove would keep the heat flowing throughout the night – Juushiro wasn't skilled enough yet to maintain a kido while sleeping.

He deliberately avoided looking at Mika's stained kimono laying across Shunsui's bed. Every time he spotted a flash of pink out of the corner of his eye, his heart clenched. _Oh, Mika_ , he thought sadly. _Why you? Why did you have to die?_ He bit his lip as tears stung his eyes. _Shunsui,, what in kami's name were you thinking?_ Anger and disappointment surged through his veins, a bitter miasma that wrapped around his chest like an iron band. _Why couldn't you have been responsible for once? Just once_ …

Juushiro dropped onto his futon, wrapping his arms around himself. As he stared blindly at Mika's kimono, he felt hot tears spilling down his cheeks. "Mika, your bright spirit burned like the sun, bringing light to everyone around you. May your next life be more peaceful", he whispered to the empty air. For a brief moment, he thought he could hear her delighted laughter echoing through the halls. Then he blinked, and it was gone, replaced by hollow silence. Juushiro dropped his head onto his knees and wept.

He didn't know how long he sat there, watching the fire flicker behind the grate of the little stove. Gradually, the wood burned down to coals, and still he remained motionless. The pink kimono wavered in his vision as he slipped into a kind of trance, mind dulled by exhaustion and grief.

 _It will be alright_ , a voice murmured from deep inside him.

His head jerked up. _What the_ … The spartan dorm room had vanished, replaced by a wine-dark ocean crashing upon a sandy beach. A chilled wind whipped the gray-green water into a white froth under a sky laden with thick black clouds, while the taste of salt hung heavy in the air. A breeze, redolent with the scorched scent of ozone, drifted by him – a storm was coming, or had just ended.

Juushiro swallowed hard as the voice continued, in a strangely dual tone, "Her spirit continues its journey. As you mourn her, do not forget that."

"Who are you?" Juushiro called, looking around the empty landscape. "Why are you talking to me?" He shook his head. _Why am I asking that?_ The voice rang through his body like a bell, tugging on his heartstrings as though they were an instrument specifically designed for it. Surely nothing but his zanpakuto could produce such an effect…

"You know who I am," the voice whispered, words as dry as the surrounding sand. "Look inside yourself. And remember, you cannot stop the wheel from turning." The sound trailed off, fading into the distance.

"Wait!" Juushiro pleaded. "I don't understand!" He twisted around, frantically searching for the source of the voice, but only the crashing of the surf answered him.

Then the tolling of a bell dragged him back into reality. The fire guttered, and he realized it was later than he had thought. Midnight, and Shunsui still hadn't returned. Juushiro bit his lip. _He's probably passed out drunk somewhere_ , he told himself wearily. Then he sighed. _But if he hasn't returned yet, he may have gotten himself into trouble_. He rolled his eyes. _Dammit, Kyoraku…_

It was so tempting to leave him out there, let him stew in his own guilt, but something in Juushiro rebelled against that. Despite his fury, he'd seen how much Mika's death had affected Shunsui, tearing up something inside him in a way Juushiro hadn't expected. _I can't just leave him out there_. Especially considering the state he was probably in.

Juushiro cautiously extended his reiatsu, searching for a trace of Shunsui's spirit energy. They'd gone over the theory of how to do so before their mission, but he hadn't perfected the technique. He brushed against Rei's anguished presence and quickly shied away, unwilling to intrude on her grief. Aono Kira and Hikaru Nakamura were nearby, probably in their own rooms. But Shunsui's energy was nowhere within the Academy buildings. With a grimace, Juushiro extended his search.

* * *

He finally found Shunsui in the farthest corner of the gardens, kneeling in a picture-perfect seiza with his head bowed. In defiance of the cold, he wore nothing but a sleeveless shihakusho, open to the waist. As Juushiro came closer, padding on soundless feet through the light snow, he saw that Shunsui's asauchi lay unsheathed in his lap.

"Want to help me?" Shunsui asked lightly, not bothering to look up at Juushiro's approach. Despite the empty sake bottles scattered around, his voice was perfectly steady. Underneath the carefree tone lay an ocean of bitterness and desperation. "Apparently I'm too much of a coward to even do this right."

Juushiro bit his lip at the naked anguish in his roommate's voice. Swallowing down his own anger, he knelt in front of Shunsui, heedless of the snow that soaked into his hakama. "Kyoraku, what are you trying to do?" he asked gently.

Shunsui tipped his head up, eyes blazing. "Isn't it obvious?" he spat furiously. "It's the least I can give Mika's family, knowing that the man who killed their daughter is dead."

Juushiro froze. _Yes, you did get her killed, dammit!_ But… no. That wouldn't help here, and his throat tightened at the thought of losing yet another friend. "You didn't kill Mika," Juushiro told him, doing his best to wipe away any traces of doubt from his tone.

Shunsui's hands shook slightly as they rested on the naked blade. "I may as well have," he snarled, seething anguish in his grey eyes.

"You were careless. So was she," Juushiro replied firmly.

Shunsui gripped his asauchi tightly, sending rivulets of blood running down his hand. "Then why am I still alive, and she's dead?" he cried. "Hell, my family would have loved to hear that I was killed in action. Why couldn't I die instead of her?" He shook his head bleakly. "Enough sake to drown a horse, and I can't even manage that." In a sudden move, he flipped the blade around, offering the hilt to Juushiro. Blood dripped lazily into the snow, but he ignored it. "Please, Ukitake-san. Please." His voice quavered on the last word, nearly breaking, but he continued to stare resolutely into Juushiro's eyes.

The pale student lifted the sword gently from Shunsui's hands, setting it to the side. Reaching out, he took both of his roommate's hands in his. The sticky wetness of Shunsui's blood coated both their palms, but he ignored it. "Kyoraku – Shunsui – I'm not going to kill you," he said softly.

Shunsui tensed, though he didn't pull away. "Why the hell not? You were telling me earlier how it's my fault Mika died. At least let me atone for that the way a warrior should!"

"Because we're burying one classmate tomorrow, and we can't stand to lose another one!" Juushiro yelled back, voice cracking as he lost his grip on his temper at last.

Shunsui laughed bitterly. "No one will miss me. Not even my family." He yanked out of Juushiro's hold, retrieving a letter from the folds of his gi. "See?" He hurled the letter at Juushiro, who caught it barely in time to prevent it landing in the bloody snow.

 _Shunsui,_

 _You truly are a disgrace to this family's name and noble heritage. Your ignominious actions have dishonored this house and shamed your lady mother, myself, and the rest of this family. You do not deserve to bear the name Kyoraku. I trust you will make amends for this humiliation before you tarnish the name of this noble house any further. If you make the honorable decision, your name will not be struck from the ledgers of the family after your death. Do the right thing for once in your life._

 _By my seal, Lord Kyoraku_

Juushiro looked up in outrage to see Shunsui's head bowed. "This was your father?" he asked, disbelieving. "How did he find out?"

Shunsui looked up, a tortured expression on his face. "Kichiro-sensei wrote to all of our parents, letting them know what happened. He had to. I guess he told them we were on watch together, and dear old dad drew his own conclusions." Shunsui bared his teeth in an anguished grimace. "Told you no one would miss me. My family hates me, you all hate me – it'd be better if I committed seppuku." He clenched his hands into fists, punching the ground angrily. "But I can't." A long pause followed before he squared his shoulders, looking at Juushiro with naked pleading in his eyes. "Please, Juushiro, help me. It's still an honorable death that way." He smiled twistedly, tears pooling at the corners of his eyes. "Besides, you've wanted to kill me before this, why not now?"

"Dammit, Shunsui!" Juushiro swore heatedly. "Stop asking that! I'm not going to kill you, alright?"

"Why?" Shunsui demanded.

Juushiro couldn't take it anymore. He seized both of Shunsui's hands again, holding on fiercely. "Because I'd miss you, and so would everyone else! You may get on my nerves sometimes, but you're also my friend." He took a deep breath, forcing calm into his veins. If his voice shook a little as he continued, Shunsui pretended not to notice. "Mika was a good friend and an amazing girl. Burying her tomorrow will be hard enough. If we had to bury you too, well…" He trailed off, looking away.

Shunsui slumped forward, abandoning his rigid posture. "Do you really mean that?" he whispered, an uneasy note of vulnerability in his tone.

Juushiro grabbed his chin, forcing his roommate to look him in the eye. "Of course I do," he promised. Exasperating, entertaining, caring – Shunsui was all of those things. The academy wouldn't be the same without him.

"Why do you care?" Shunsui murmured in confusion. "You shouldn't care so much. No one should." He whispered the last sentence, almost too low for Juushiro to hear.

The pale student chose to ignore it, drawing Shunsui to his feet. "I care because you're my friend," he explained quietly, slinging an arm around Shunsui's shoulders. _And you need someone to care about you. You hide so much pain behind that laughing smile of yours_. The brown-haired student swayed on his feet, leaning heavily on Juushiro's support. "Come on, let's get you back to the dorm before you pass out," he urged.

At the door to their shared room, Shunsui paused. Tugging on Juushiro's arm, he managed to pull himself chest-to-chest with his roommate. "Thank you," he whispered, raw honesty in the words. "For everything." Clumsily, he wrapped his arms around Juushiro, embracing him awkwardly. "Thank you."

* * *

The day of the funeral dawned cold and clear. Thin sunlight illuminated the grove where they would lay Mika to rest, casting pitiless shadows over everything. Mika's body, clothed in the shihakusho of a full soul reaper, lay in the center of the clearing on a pyre of seasoned wood. Students trickled in by ones and twos as the sun rose higher, forming a somber white ring at the edge of the glade. Yamamoto stood motionless at the head of the pyre, leaning heavily on his cane. Weariness sharpened the lines on his face, making him appear older than usual.

Shunsui stood next to Juushiro, clad in an embroidered white haori over a plain silk kimono. The clothing had been one of the only things his family had given him when they shipped him off to the Academy – he may have been the black sheep of the clan, but he was still a high noble, and expected to appear as such. He had scoffed at the idea of needing mourning clothes, thinking that the academy would be safe. Shunsui's mouth twisted. _Clearly I was wrong_.

He looked over the massed students, interspersed with teachers and friends of the Fujimoto clan. Mika's parents stood behind Yamamoto, eyes reddened and dull. When Lady Fujimoto caught sight of him, she glared furiously. Shunsui flinched and moved sideways until his shoulder bumped into his roommate. Without looking down, Juushiro twined his fingers comfortingly with Shunsui's. "Don't let her bother you," he whispered. "She's in pain and lashing out at everyone who was on the mission. It's nothing to do with you personally." He accompanied his words with a wave of soothing reiatsu.

 _How do you always do that?_ Shunsui wondered, clutching Juushiro's hand tightly. _Look into a person and see the truth of their soul? Even when you don't know them, you know what they're going through. Why do you care so much?_ Hesitantly, afraid to ask the question even in the privacy of his own mind, he added, _Why do you care so much about me?_

Once everyone was assembled, Yamamoto raised his head. The old man's scars were stark against his pale, worn skin. His shoulders bowed as if he carried the weight of the world on them, but his voice rang out strongly when he announced, "We are gathered here today to pay our last respects to Mika Fujimoto, a fourth-year student in the Academy." He took a deep breath, gazing out at the assembled crowd. "Fujimoto-san was a brave young woman who died in battle against our enemies. We honor her as a soul reaper, for I would have been proud to welcome her to our ranks." Shunsui bowed his head, unable to look at Yamamoto's stern visage. "She died with honor, a credit to her clan." Yamamoto paused, looking inexpressibly weary. "Does anyone want to say a few words in her memory?"

Juushiro relinquished Shunsui's hand and stepped forward. "I would, sensei," he said respectfully. Yamamoto nodded to him, and he turned to face the crowd. "Mika-san was one of the most courageous people I've ever met. The first time I saw her, she was squared off against a group of bullies teasing a puppy for sport. She was completely unarmed, but that didn't slow her down for a second." He paused, swallowing hard. "She demonstrated that courage over and over again, in small ways and large, throughout her time here. Her joyful spirit and determination for everyone to succeed brightened all of our lives." Juushiro's voice quavered slightly as he continued, "Though she now walks a different road, she will live forever within our hearts. Go in peace, Mika-san, and may your light never vanish into the darkness." He bowed formally, then returned to his position next to Shunsui. Tears that he refused to shed glittered in his eyes.

Koji Sato took a hesitant step forward. "Fujimoto-san made me welcome here," he said hoarsely, accent rougher than usual. "She cared 'bout everyone around her, an' never backed down from a fight. I didn't know her long, but I'm grateful for the time that I did."

Shunsui's throat tightened. _Mika, I will hunt down the bastards who sent those hollows and make them pay_ , he vowed silently. He watched as his classmates stepped forward, one by one, to address the crowd. Rei Kuchiki, after glaring at Shunsui, broke down crying in the middle of her speech; Hikaru Nakamura wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders when she stepped back. He, too, cast a scathing glance at Shunsui, who bowed his head. _I deserve that. I deserve… oh, hells, so much worse_ …

At last, he was the only one left. Yamamoto looked at him inquiringly.

Shunsui gulped and stepped forward. "I'm no good with words," he said unhappily. "Mika-san deserves poetry, and I can't give it to her. She was… incredible. A… a shining star amidst the darkness. We will miss her." _And we will avenge her_.

Yamamoto bowed his head as Shunsui retreated to Juushiro's side. "Fujimoto-sama, do you wish to say anything?" he asked. Lord Fujimoto shook his head, keeping a firm grasp on his wife's arm. Yamamoto nodded slowly. "Then it is time to say our last goodbye." He raised his staff and the wood swirled away, revealing the gleaming form of his zanpakuto. "Ryujin Jakka." Fire sparked at the tip of the katana, cascading up the blade to the hilt. Yamamoto's powerful reiatsu washed over the crowd. The Fujimoto family stepped backwards, eyes narrowed, as Yamamoto raised his arm. "Be in peace, Mika Fujimoto," Yamamoto intoned gravely.

Taking a deep breath, he touched the tip of the blade to Mika's pyre.

Flame licked hungrily through the wood, devouring it within seconds. For a heartbeat, Mika's body lay untouched amid the surging the flames. Then an ember caught her sleeve. With a roar, the fire engulfed her frail form, and she vanished beneath the roiling inferno. Shunsui's eyes stung with unshed tears.

Smoke billowed out from the funeral pyre, bearing the sickly sweet scent of burning flesh to the crowd. Juushiro coughed as he covered his mouth with his sleeve. Shunsui eyed him worriedly, but Juushiro's shoulders were set and his spine was rigidly upright. Though each breath rasped painfully out of his lungs, he refused to look away as Mika's body burned.

The conflagration raged abnormally high, fueled by the immense strength of Ryujin Jakka. The heat forced the students back to the edge of the glade, where they clustered in somber groups to bid Mika farewell. Tears flowed openly down many faces. Only Yamamoto remained next to the pyre, a silent witness as Mika's body crumbled to ash.

Shunsui bowed his head as the breeze fanned the flames higher. "Goodbye, Mika," he whispered sadly. "We will honor your memory in everything we do." He had thought the words would be too soft to hear, but Juushiro nodded fiercely.

"We… will," he choked out between hacking coughs. "Promise." Blood spattered his lips and white sleeve, but that didn't detract from his look of determination.

Just when Shunsui was sure Juushiro couldn't tolerate any more smoke, Yamamoto snapped his sword up. The flames cascaded back into the blade, sucking the heat from the air and leaving the students shivering. "Classes are canceled for the rest of the week," the old man announced somberly. "Spend your time wisely." When he dropped his hand, innocuous wood once again covered Ryujin Jakka. He nodded to them all, then bowed to the Fujimoto clan. "I am sorry for your loss." Mika's mother collapsed in her husband's arms, weeping. He looked back at Yamamoto and nodded once, then flashstepped away with his wife in his arms.

The students took that as a signal to depart as well. Within minutes, the small glade was deserted apart from Yamamoto, Kichiro-sensei, and the members of their small cohort. Yamamoto eyed all of them sternly. "Do not let your grief overwhelm you," he ordered. "Remember, your duty is to the living, not to the dead." With that, he flashed away as well.

Kichiro nodded at all of them. "Good advice. I'll see you in class Monday." And he vanished.

The students looked at each other awkwardly, avoiding each other's eyes. Rei's lip curled every time her gaze brushed over Shunsui, hands tightening into fists, but Hikaru's arm around her shoulders seemed to prevent her from taking any action. He refused to look in Shunsui's direction, as did Aono, but Ryuu kept sneaking glances at the exhausted student. Shunsui flinched under that green-eyed stare, so incredulous and disappointed all at once, but refused to glare back. _I deserve all of this_ …

At last Aono shrugged. "See you in class, I guess." When he left, Rei and Hikaru followed. Ryuu and Taro exchanged uncomfortable glances, then departed after Rei and Hikaru.

As soon as their combined spiritual pressures vanished, Juushiro dropped to his knees, heedless of the ash staining his hakama. Wracking coughs tore their way from his throat, accompanied by splatters of blood. Shunsui knew that he was lucky to have controlled the attack for so long, but now he was paying the price. The residual smoke burned his lungs as he coughed and coughed, unable to pull in enough air. Shunsui cursed and grabbed him. "You idiot," he spat worriedly as he shunpoed away. "What were you thinking, breathing in all that smoke for so long?"

"Honor… Mika…" Juushiro managed as he gasped for breath.

"Idiot," Shunsui repeated, skidding to a halt a fair distance away from the clearing. He carefully lowered Juushiro to the ground, ignoring the blood splattering his finery. The pale student knelt, body heaving from the coughs wracking his thin frame, while Shunsui rubbed his back soothingly. "You're too skinny," he murmured, trying to distract his roommate from the pain. "You need to eat more."

Juushiro started to laugh, only to be overtaken by another fit of coughing. "Sound… like my mom…"

As the fit died down, Shunsui shifted position so he could look Juushiro in the eyes. Twisting his fingers together nervously, he said quietly, "I said this last night, but I was drunk, and I want to say it sober. Thank you."

Juushiro looked up, emerald eyes wide. "What for?"

Shunsui brushed a strand of white hair out of his roommate's eyes. "For being there. For caring." His mouth twisted. "Though I don't know why you do." He bit his lip, glancing away. He hadn't meant to say that.

Juushiro captured Shunsui's chin in his fingers, forcing the other student to look him in the eyes. "I care because you are worth it," he said firmly. "Don't let your family tell you otherwise." Shunsui closed his eyes, unable to stand the compassion in his roommate's gaze. Juushiro shook his head. "Don't." He dropped his hand and looked down. "No one is worthless. I have to believe that." A note of uncertainty threaded through his words, though Shunsui wondered if anyone else would have noticed.

Then more coughing overtook Juushiro, and he turned violently away. Shunsui winced. "Is there?" he started.

Juushiro shook his head, unable to answer verbally. When the spasms died down again, he spat blood onto the ground. "I hate this," he murmured bitterly. "Unable to even honor a friend's death properly. Damn it." To Shunsui's surprise, he spotted tears tracing their way through the ash on Juushiro's pale face. "I… really hate this." Turning away, the white-haired student cradled his head in his hands. His shoulders shook from sobs that he refused to voice.

Shunsui bit his lip nervously. He knew he was taking a major risk when he reached out and drew Juushiro into his lap, cradling the slighter student carefully. To his relief, Juushiro relaxed into his hold. "It'll be okay," he murmured, feeling useless. Juushiro let his head turn onto Shunsui's chest, curling up like a child seeking comfort. Shunsui patted his back gingerly, wishing desperately he could do anything to help his friend. _You're stronger than you know_ , he thought sadly. _Your body may be frail, but your spirit is stronger than any of ours_.

* * *

 **Author's Note** : Major thanks go to CorinneKei and EmpressSaix for their gorgeous reviews on the prior chapter! I hope you all enjoyed this one –I know it's a bit shorter than usual, but I think it ends at a good point. If you liked it, or see something I can improve, let me know!


	14. A Dish Best Served Cold

**Chapter 14: A Dish Best Served Cold**

It was a sober group that gathered in the dojo Monday morning. Rei Kuchiki and Hikaru Nakamura stayed very close together in one corner of the room, while Ryuu Hibiki, Taro Kannogi, and Aono Kira chatted quietly in another corner. Despair and hopelessness emanated from their reiatsu, dismaying Shunsui. His footsteps faltered. _What if_ … But no. He had a mission, and nothing was going to stand in his way.

Striding into the room, he leapt onto the rolled-up mats at the front. His classmates looked up at him with startled and bemused expressions. Juushiro, following him into the room, just shook his head. "Alright," Shunsui said fiercely. "I know that we all miss Mika." He stuttered to a stop on her name, then continued, "But that's no reason to mope around. We have a mission now, and we'll need every bit of training we can get to complete it." Recklessness surged through his reiatsu, honing its swirls to razor edges.

"What mission?" Rei asked bitterly. "They won't even let us off the Academy grounds now, did you forget?" She glared at him. "Not that I'd expect you to care, seeing as you're the one who got her killed!" Her hands flexed at her sides as though she was considering going for his throat.

Shunsui covered his flinch by dropping gracefully off of the mats. "We're going to find out who brought those hollows into safe territory and murdered Mika," he declared. Leaning back against the wall, he spread his hands, feigning calm to cover the boiling desperation that stung his eyes and tightened his throat. As the silence stretched on, guilt and despair joined the battle for dominance, lacing his reiatsu with sullen indigo streaks. "Any questions?"

"Yeah," Rei snarled, pacing towards him. "Why the hell do you care?" Hikaru lifted a hand towards her back, then shrugged and dropped it, blue eyes narrowing in calculation.

Shunsui straightened. "I care because she was one of us," he growled, forcing the words around the lump in his throat. "And because yes, I did get her killed." _And kami knows, I'd do anything to change that. If only I could turn back time, undo that night_ … His stomach twisted, threatening to expel its contents, and he swallowed hard. _But I can't, so I'm doing the next best thing_. The corners of his lips twitched. _You always wanted me to have a purpose, Father, didn't you? Well, now I do. I hope you're happy_.

Rei snorted. "At least you admit it. But that doesn't bring her back!" Venom suffused her tone, but her hazel eyes sparkled with tears she refused to shed.

Shunsui spread his hands, eyes locked on hers. If she launched herself at him now, he'd be hard-pressed to get a guard up in time, but he didn't care. Part of him, the treacherous part that had driven him out into the snow, almost wanted her to. Maybe a few bruises would be a good down payment on the debt he could never repay…

 _Well, aren't you just so pretty, wallowing in guilt like that_ , a feminine voice snorted in his head. _I'm sure you're enjoying it, but it's not helping anyone_.

Shunsui flinched. Then, when Rei gave him an odd look, broke his silence. "No, it won't," he told her. "Nothing will. But…" He lifted a hand. "That doesn't mean we let her death go unavenged, either."

Rei's right hand twitched, a punch aborted before it began. "You…" Her shoulders slumped. The heightened reiatsu swirling around her drained away as she blinked furiously. "Dammit, Kyoraku!"

The slap across the face wasn't unexpected, but Shunsui still winced. She'd put all the power of her body behind it, striking more than slapping – he'd have a lovely bruise in a few minutes. But he kept his hands by his sides. "I deserve that," he acknowledged, hissing a bit as the words stretched his jaw. "But that won't bring her back either." His lips stretched into a humorless smile. "Like I said, though, we can avenge her death, make the bastards who killed her pay."

For a moment, he thought she would hit him again, but then her eyes narrowed. "What do you mean? We killed all the hollows who attacked us."

Shunsui snorted. "A group that big, materializing in the middle of safe territory? That's not a coincidence." He had to believe that, had to believe that Mika's death was more than happenstance. Surely fate would never be so cruel… right? He shook his head. "Either someone summoned them or someone let them through the patrols, and we're going to find out who." He bared his teeth. He had spent hours pouring over this theory with Juushiro, and it felt _right_ – far more right than any other possible explanation. "There's no way that attack was natural. And I don't care if they were going for Mika, or you, or anyone else here – or even if we were just byproducts of some other assassination attempt. We're going to make them pay." The speech came out jerkily, broken by the heat of his anger, but he suspected everyone got the gist of it.

Rei lifted an eyebrow. "And you think we…" She gestured to the group. "…can actually do something about it?" Her ramrod-straight posture softened ever so slightly. A wild sort of hope, twin to the flame burning in Shunsui's chest, sparked in her reiatsu.

"Yes." He pressed his hands together in front of his chest and offered her a bow. "Are you with me?"

Her eyes darted from side to side, fingers tangling in her long, blond hair as she turned the proposal over in her mind. Hikaru started forward, then stopped as she directed a glare at him.

At last she nodded slowly. "Very well. We will try your way." Pressing her hands together just as he had, she gave him a shallow bow, eyes lingering on his. The message was clear – she didn't trust him, but she was willing to work with him for now. _And that's all that matters_. He deserved all her scorn, all her mistrust and hatred, and would gladly bear it as long as he could avenge Mika.

"Wait a minute," Aono objected. "This is a fool's errand at best. We have no proof, none, that someone summoned those hollows! Face it – Fujimoto-san died because of your carelessness, nothing more."

The words thudded into Shunsui's chest like blows. He flinched, shaking his head violently. "No." His voice broke. "No. That's not…" Another crack. "It can't be. A group of hollows that big, in the middle of safe territory? No." He refused to believe that fate had snuffed Mika out for simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Something more than bad luck had to be responsible. _She was a good girl, curse it – she didn't deserve this!_ If anyone had deserved death, it was him, and yet here he was, still alive. And she was dead.

Aono snorted. "Then give us more than wild stories to support your claim!" He dug his nails into his thighs. "Kami knows, I wish with all my heart that she was still with us." His voice shook. "But that doesn't mean we should go haring off on a fool's errand just to assuage your guilt."

"Kira-san…" Rei's voice shook as well, but there was steel in it nonetheless. "What if you're wrong? What if those hollows _were_ sent, but we gave up on our chance to avenge Mika because we didn't look at that possibility? Could you live with yourself then?"

Aono paused, and some of the heat leeched out of his reiatsu. "Even so…" He folded his arms across his chest. "If we have evidence of foul play, the proper move is to take it to the authorities, to our senseis or the Gotei Five. Not investigate on our own."

Shunsui snorted. "Rules were made to be broken." He gestured around the room. "Look at us. All from various noble families. Maybe not all high nobles, but all of our families have power." He gave them a crooked grin. "Now, my family may despise me, but most of you have a far better relationship with yours. Use it."

"Use it to escape punishment?" Aono frowned. "You know perfectly well that Yamamoto-sensei won't allow it."

"Oh, no." Shunsui's grin widened recklessly. "Use it to collect information." He nodded to Aono. "That's hardly a violation of the rules, as you know. So the Academy can't stop us."

Ryuu bobbed his head eagerly, his animosity from earlier forgotten. "So, what do you want us to ask?"

Juushiro stepped forward, eyes narrowing as he launched into the theory that he and Shunsui had come up with. "That was not an ordinary group of hollows. Normal hollows don't work together the way they did, and they're certainly not smart enough to get past the border patrols. That suggests that someone let them through, or summoned them somehow. In all likelihood, that someone is related to a noble family. Who else could sneak a group of hollows past the border guards?" He scanned the room, seeing the dawning comprehension on their faces. "Now, I don't think it was any of our families. But we don't want to alert anyone that we're on their trail."

Shunsui grinned humorlessly as he leaned back against the wall. "Right now, they think we're a bunch of harmless students. Let them keep thinking that." He threw a grateful glance at Juushiro. Though he suspected his roommate was still just humoring him, Juushiro's support meant the world to him.

Aono scowled. "This still seems like we'll be skirting the edge of the rules," he pointed out.

"Actually," Hikaru pointed out dryly, "we won't be. The rules don't say anything about gathering information through our families' networks." He smirked. "I bet every single one of your families has a spymaster, or someone similar. Talk to them."

Juushiro chuckled. "Mine doesn't. But then, we're barely noble." They didn't play the power games that the more powerful noble clans did, and thus had little need to gather dirt on their fellow nobles. But they did have their own sources of information that the other noble clans didn't. And Juushiro knew he could trust them. He wasn't so sure about some of the other clans: while he trusted his classmates, he didn't know their families at all.

Shunsui glanced sidelong at him, but chose to disregard his last statement. "Regardless, let's start – carefully – gathering information. Just whatever is going on in the rumor mill right now. Like Ukitake said, we don't want to alert anyone that we're on the hunt."

"Hunt for what?" Kichiro-sensei inquired, stepping into the classroom. "Kyoraku, stand up properly," he added dryly.

"Oh, nothing," Shunsui replied grandly as he complied. "I just want to find the perfect Midwinter gift for the lovely Kuchiki-san here. It's so difficult to find something more beautiful than she is." Rei flinched, then attempted to smirk at the sudden return of his flirtatious tone, while he grinned to hide the way his throat tightened. Flirting felt painfully awkward, almost disloyal to Mika's memory, though they had never had any sort of relationship. After all, flirting had been the cause of his fatal distraction…

Kichiro sent him a strange glance, sensing something wasn't right. Shunsui immediately smoothed out the ragged edges in his reiatsu and widened his grin. Winking broadly at Rei, he sauntered back to his place in the line, and Kichiro sighed. "Well, if that's done, let's start class. Front position, everyone."

* * *

As it turned out, it was much easier to declare that they were going to avenge Mika than it was to actually do it. A week after the funeral, Shunsui flopped down on his cot, staring at Juushiro in frustration. "What are we supposed to do?" he complained, running a hand though his messy hair. "They could be anywhere, and we can't leave this damn Academy." He glanced over at the neatly-folded form of Mika's pink kimono, resting on a small table. Cleaned and mended, it was a constant reminder of his pledge.

Juushiro furrowed his brow. "I don't know," he admitted softly. "We're only fourth year students, after all. There's not much we can do; we don't have the training or the skills yet. None of us even have shikai releases. And we still don't know for sure that these hollows were sent. This could have all been an unfortunate accident…"

Shunsui scowled. Juushiro's reminders of that fact had grown more frequent as the days passed, and were a constant thorn in his foot. "We've been over this. That many hollows in a safe area? If that's a coincidence, it's a damn suspicious one." So many things would have needed to go wrong to let those hollows through – he simply couldn't accept that fate had truly despised Mika that much. No, her death had to be the work of some shadowy enemy out there, someone who had desired her death for some reason. _Someone who we can – will! – track down and bring to justice_.

Unable to sit still any longer, he rose and started pacing. "I asked Kichiro-sensei what was being done to figure out how the hollows got there, and he said that the incident has been classified as a tragic accident. He's no help." None of the instructors were – they all refused to listen to his theory, ignoring the evidence right under their noses.

Juushiro paused. "He said that? Truly?" An unusual hesitation marked his tone. "Then maybe there'ssomething else going on. I've seen several messengers clad in the black uniforms of the stealth force going into Yamamoto's office, and I assumed that they were part of an investigation, but..." He shrugged. "Maybe not."

Shunsui eyed him skeptically. "Really? The stealth force usually wouldn't let themselves be seen so easily."

Juushiro blushed lightly. "I was practicing Kyakko, Bending Light, in the courtyard near there, when I saw the first one. After that, I started returning as often as I could."

Shunsui burst out laughing. "You were practicing an invisibility kido right next to Yamamoto's office? Ukitake, that's brilliant!" He swept his roommate into an exuberant hug, making Juushiro yelp. "Utterly brilliant!" He set Juushiro down after a second, ignoring the heated flush on the pale student's cheeks. "So, did you hear what they were saying?"

Juushiro shook his head firmly. "It wouldn't be honorable to listen to private conversations."

"You have such a stick up your ass sometimes," Shunsui grumbled, but he didn't sound too annoyed. Juushiro glared at him and opened his mouth to retort, but Shunsui added excitedly, "What if they were delivering written reports? I bet they were, actually; this place is addicted to paperwork. Those would still be in the office!"

"Oh, no," Juushiro replied instantly, sensing where Shunsui was going. "No. Kyoraku, absolutely not."

Shunsui gave him his best puppy-dog eyes. "Please, Ukitake? Pretty please? We need information, and it's not like we'll be harming anything. Just looking at a couple papers." He stepped forward, catching hold of Juushiro's shoulders with both hands. Juushiro's breath quickened at the unexpected nearness of the other man. "We promised that we'd find Mika's killers," he said passionately. "This might be our best lead."

Juushiro bit his lip uncertainly. "I don't know, Kyoraku." He lowered his voice to a whisper. "Breaking into Yamamoto-sensei's office? Do you know how much trouble we could end up in for that? For all we know, the messages could be completely unrelated."

Shunsui's fingers tightened on Juushiro's biceps. "It's worth it," he declared fervently, voice as soft as Juushiro's.

The white-haired student sighed in resignation. "Alright, we'll do it. But we need a good opportunity."

* * *

One came the next day in the imperious form of Lady Kuchiki, sweeping into the Academy like she owned the place. Her husband, aloof and remote, strode at her side, but all eyes were on her glittering form. She wore a heavily-embroidered copper kimono, emblazoned with golden cranes and flower petals, over layers of silk robes in complementing colors. Kenseikan adorned her flowing black tresses. By contrast, her husband, clad in dark green robes and the traditional windflower scarf of the Kuchiki clan, appeared positively plain. He, too, wore Kenseikan in his long ebony hair.

Lady Kuchiki sailed to a halt outside of the main office building of the Academy, looking around arrogantly. Shunsui and Juushiro, watching from their dorm window, hurried outside, as did many other students. Soon she was ringed in a crowd of curious students, all chattering eagerly to one another. She ignored them with regal disdain.

After several long minutes, Yamamoto strolled out of his office. "Lady Kuchiki, what a surprise," he said politely, bowing in formal greeting. "What brings you to my humble Academy?"

The lady sniffed disapprovingly. "I am here to reclaim my daughter," she announced.

Rei pushed her way through the crowd when she heard that, coming to a halt equidistant from her parents and Yamamoto. She bowed elegantly, the bow of respect given by a noble scion to the head of their house. "Mother, what do you mean by that?" she inquired, voice displaying nothing but idle curiosity. Juushiro was close enough to sense her reiatsu, however, and the tension absent from her tone and posture threaded through her spirit energy. He glanced worriedly at her, but Lady Kuchiki was already speaking.

"Exactly what I said," she replied coolly. "You are coming home with us. The Academy clearly cannot keep its students safe, and young women have no place in combat."

Rei's eyes narrowed. "Mother," she began in a placating tone.

Her mother cut her off. "Did you know that they found the patrol of real shinigami who were supposed to be patrolling that forest?" She put a heavy emphasis on 'real.' "Trained shinigami, and yet they were massacred by hollows. And this Academy sent a group of half-trained students out there!" Her reiatsu flared with anger.

Shunsui and Juushiro exchanged glances. "This is new," Shunsui mouthed, and Juushiro nodded. _This changes things… Well, maybe_. When he thought about it, it didn't surprise him that the patrol had been killed – they had presumably given their lives trying to stop the hollows. _But… if these hollows defeated a group of trained shinigami, why were we able to take them down? Maybe the hollows we faced were only the remnants of a much larger group?_ It made sense, and yet, something still didn't quite add up.

Juushiro shelved the mystery for further perusal as Rei pressed her lips together. "I understand the dangers, Mother, but we are learning to protect ourselves here. I do not want to rely on bodyguards for the rest of my life."

Lady Kuchiki raised her eyebrows. "Really. They are training you to fight and kill. That is not proper behavior for a lady, especially one of the Kuchiki clan. Had I known about this sooner, you would have never been enrolled here."

Yamamoto took a step forward, leaning on his cane. "Lady Kuchiki, if I may interject, we are not training the young women as soldiers. The court guard squads do not permit women in combat roles, only in support roles. If she wishes, Kuchiki-san will join the healer's ranks when she graduates, and will never be on the front lines of battle."

A less refined lady would have snorted derisively. Lady Kuchiki simply turned her cold gaze on Yamamoto. "If that is the case, why were Fujimoto-san and my daughter on the exercise that led to Fujimoto-san's death?" She folded her hands in her flowing sleeves. "They ended up in the front lines of combat there."

Rei stepped forward impulsively, reaching out towards her mother. "It was supposed to be a simple patrolling exercise, well within the safe boundaries of the territory controlled by the Seireitei."

Lady Kuchiki's tone flattened when she replied, "Then the Academy and the court guard squads have failed at their duties. This is unacceptable." She turned to Yamamoto. "We have supported your efforts for this Academy thus far, as we believed that formal training for all shinigami would benefit the Soul Society. We were even willing to support your experiment with that commoner, albeit reluctantly. But now, things have gone too far. You are clearly failing to keep your students safe." Looking back at Rei, she ordered, "You will collect your belongings and meet us at the manor. We will return to our estates on the morrow."

Rei's shoulders tensed. She took a deep breath, and Juushiro could feel the turbulent emotions fluctuating through her reiatsu. "No," she replied clearly. "Mother, Father, I apologize for my insolence, but I believe that the best place for me is here." She glanced back at Juushiro and Shunsui and nodded once, solemnly. "I wish to remain here and get stronger."

Lady Kuchiki's voice cracked like a whip as she announced, "We will not have this discussion in the courtyard. Yamamoto-san, you may call on us this afternoon at our manor to discuss our continued support of your venture. Rei, I expect to see you tonight." With that, she swept out of the courtyard, head held high. Her husband followed silently, hand resting on the hilt of his zanpakuto. He hadn't looked directly at Rei once.

Once they were gone, Rei's shoulders crumpled. "Damn it," she whispered, scarcely loud enough for Juushiro to hear. "She doesn't understand."

"She's worried about you," Juushiro pointed out gently. "She doesn't want you to die as well."

Rei looked up at him, eyes blazing. "Then she should let me get stronger!"

Juushiro shrugged helplessly. "Parents are not always rational when their children are in danger."

"Better than my parents," Shunsui added lightly. Though Juushiro knew of his anger at his family, none of it appeared in his tone. "They'd rather I simply vanished from the earth and saved them the headaches."

"So what should I do?" Rei asked softly. "I want to help figure out what happened with those hollows as much as you do. I can't just leave here." She spread her hands. "Mika was my best friend, the only one I had growing up. I can't just forget about her."

"Talk to your mother," Juushiro urged. "Don't alienate her. If you go see her tonight and explain your reasons for staying, she might be more reasonable."

"You don't know my mother," Rei muttered. "Reasonable isn't in her vocabulary."

Shunsui laughed. "That's all mothers, I think. But Ukitake is right, she's more likely to listen if it's in private."

Juushiro bit his lip in thought. "Talk to Yamamoto-sensei. See if he would accept a modified program of study for you; only things that your mother would consider acceptable."

"What good would that do?" Rei spat. "Then I don't learn what I need to learn."

Juushiro shook his head. "You learn from one of us. I bet Nakamura-san would love to help you with your kendo." Rei blushed, confirming his suspicions about her interest in Hikaru. "And I'd be happy to tutor you in kido. Shihoin-sensei may even be willing to help."

Shunsui nodded, lowering his voice. "You'll still be a part of the academic classes for sure, your mother can't object to that. And even if you have to go home for a bit, winter break is coming up soon. They should let you come back in the spring, even if they pull you out now. Take the opportunity to gather information. You have all those libraries at home; use them!"

Rei nodded resolutely. "Alright. I'll talk to her tonight."

"Don't forget to catch Yamamoto-sensei before he leaves," Shunsui urged.

Rei glanced around at the rapidly-emptying courtyard. Yamamoto had already returned to his office. "I'll go talk to him now," she decided, hurrying away. "Thanks!" she called back over her shoulder.

Once he was sure she was out of earshot, Shunsui turned to Juushiro excitedly. "This is the perfect time!" he announced in a hushed tone. "The old man will be out of his office for bells!"

Juushiro looked around nervously. "Shut up!" he hissed. "Don't say that out here!" He grabbed Shunsui's wrist and hauled his roommate up to their room, where he slid the door shut and glared at Shunsui. "What if someone had heard you?"

Shunsui shrugged nonchalantly. "No one did."

Juushiro rolled his eyes. "Not my point." When Shunsui opened his mouth to respond, Juushiro cut him off with a gesture. "Wait a second." He closed his eyes, expanding his reiatsu to fill the room. "Bones of the tiger-kin, blood of the dragon, flesh of the crane, fly on the wind and dance through the earth, fill the air with breathless cries. Kabene." With an odd mental twist, he settled strands of his spirit energy in place within the walls, where they vibrated happily. He opened his eyes to see Shunsui staring at him peculiarly.

"What was that?" he asked curiously.

"It prevents eavesdroppers," Juushiro explained shortly. In reality, it was more complicated than that, but that was the basic effect.

Shunsui's eyes widened. "Wait, you actually found what you told Shihoin-sensei you were trying to find, when we were searching the archives?"

Juushiro shrugged modestly. "I found pieces, and then she helped me put the pieces together into a full kido. I won't bore you with the details." He waved a hand at his roommate. "So… your idea?"

Shunsui grinned conspiratorially at him. "You heard Kuchiki-sama. Old man Yama has to go talk to them this afternoon. Otherwise they'll pull their support from the Academy."

"And losing one of the foremost supporters of the Academy would seriously destabilize the political landscape," Juushiro concurred.

Shunsui nodded. "Trust me, it's a hot topic among the noble houses right now. But that doesn't matter to us. What's important is that he'll be gone for ages; those meetings last forever." He snorted. "They have to do a full formal tea ceremony before they'll discuss anything of importance, and even then they dance around the topic forever."

"So we have the opportunity." Juushiro frowned. "I don't know about this, but you're right, this may be our best lead." He twisted his fingers together. "Something about Kuchiki-sama's revelation doesn't quite add up. I'm not sure what's going on, and I'm not saying that your theory is right, but it does bear further investigation."

Shunsui laid a hand over his heart in pretend shock. "Ukitake, I thought the sun would freeze over before you admitted that I was right," he teased. Juushiro glared at him. More soberly, Shunsui continued, "We have to be very careful. I don't want to find out what the punishment is for breaking into Yamamoto-sensei's office."

"We have to conceal our reiatsu completely," Juushiro pointed out. "Your reiatsu control isn't that good yet."

Shunsui tipped his head to one side, a curiously vulnerable expression on his face. "Yours is, though. Shihoin-sensei says that your control is the level of a seated officer, at least." He paused. "Shihoin-sensei can control our energy for us if we're getting out of control. Can you do the same?"

Juushiro's eyes widened in shock. "Kyoraku, you don't know what you're asking," he said in a hushed tone. "That's high-level reiatsu manipulation, far beyond what we've done in class."

"But you've been spending all those bells after class practicing with her," Shunsui pointed out. "I know you've done things that no student should be able to do. Hell, you helped create a kido! How's this different?"

Juushiro heaved a sigh. "I'll try," he said slowly. "But no promises." Shunsui nodded.

So Juushiro extended his reiatsu again. Not as far this time, only enough to envelope Shunsui in its warmth. The other student's breath quickened as the energy wrapped around him, but he stayed perfectly still. Juushiro took a step forward, placing a hand on the bare skin of Shunsui's chest where his gi opened. "It's easier with physical contact," he explained absently, focusing intently on the ebb and flow of Shunsui's reiatsu. His roommate's heartbeat throbbed underneath his fingertips in time with the pulsing of his spirit energy.

Slowly, Juushiro wrapped Shunsui's reiatsu in his own, attempting to cocoon each strand of his roommate's energy with his own power. It was tricky work. Every time he thought he had control of part of it, another part escaped his grasp. Finally he looked up and shook his head. "I don't think I can."

Shunsui looked down the scant few inches of difference between their heights. "You can do it," he urged. "I know you can."

Juushiro bit his lip, unable to resist the pleading in Shunsui's eyes. Taking a deep breath, he re-immersed himself in the flow of spirit energy.

The level of contact was unnervingly intimate. Juushiro stepped closer, until he and Shunsui were pressed chest-to-chest. Shunsui wrapped his arms around the slender student, and Juushiro closed his eyes. _When Shihoin-sensei controls an unruly student's power, she clamps down on it from the outside_ , he thought to himself _. It's like a shell that traps all the energy within it, then gradually leaches the excess into the ground. So it still leaves a noticeable trace_. That wouldn't work for their purposes. Instead, he had to figure out how to conceal Shunsui's power inside the other student, the same way he would hide his own power.

 _Kyoraku, you don't ask for easy favors_ , he thought wryly. Despite Shunsui's best efforts, tendrils of his reiatsu escaped at random intervals to explore the room. They carried the faint scent of blossoms with them, and felt like silk on his skin. "Focus on me," he whispered. Shunsui nodded, brow furrowed in concentration. Soon Juushiro felt the wayward reiatsu contract inwards. He shivered as the power glided over him. Carefully, he expanded his own reiatsu to just outside of the boundaries traced by Shunsui's energy.

 _Bring his energy into your own skin_ , a voice from deep inside of him urged. He nodded slowly. To his surprise, as he dragged his energy closer, Shunsui's power came with it easily. Absorbing the energy sent a pleasant tingle through his hands, still pressed on Shunsui's chest. Shunsui's eyes widened. "Is that… Did that work?" he asked softly.

Juushiro nodded, though he kept his focus on the energy inside him. It wasn't quite sealed yet; the power could still escape. But now that he had a grasp on it, that was easy to fix. He pulled the rest of his reiatsu into a tight ball inside of him, wrapping Shunsui's power up with it. The brown-haired student gasped as the energy snapped into place. Juushiro smiled slowly. He could feel Shunsui's emotions through the power within him, but he could tell that it was firmly contained.

When he looked up, Shunsui smiled excitedly at him. Their faces were close enough that Juushiro could feel the other student's breath on his lips. Tension permeated the air as they stood there, arms wrapped around each other, staring into each other's eyes. Some unnamed emotion glittered in the depths of Shunsui's grey orbs, making Juushiro's heart race. Shunsui's breathing sped up, and he tilted his head a fraction.

Then the sound of footsteps came from outside their room, and they both jumped back like startled hares. Juushiro hastily broke his eavesdropping kido as Ryuu called, "Kyoraku? You in there?"

Shunsui slid the door open and lounged against the frame. "What's up?" he asked casually.

Ryuu eyed him peculiarly. "What'd you do to your reiatsu?"

Shunsui waved a dismissive hand. "Nothing much, just an experiment. What'd you come here for?" He leaned back against the wall, offering the other student a grin.

Ryuu shrugged. "Wanted to let you know that Kichiro-sensei cancelled afternoon classes today. He's apparently going to accompany Yamamoto-sensei to visit the Kuchiki family, and they're leaving now."

Shunsui's eyes flared with excitement, but he kept his voice level when he replied, "Thanks for letting me know. I guess I'll use the time to catch up on Shihoin-sensei's homework then; the energy flows in Kyakko are still giving me trouble."

"I can help," Ryuu offered eagerly. "It's not actually that hard, really, there's a trick to it."

"Don't you have that essay for Shiba-sensei to finish?" Shunsui asked casually. Through his connection to Shunsui's reiatsu, Juushiro could feel his sudden agitation, but none of it appeared on his face.

Ryuu groaned. "Yeah, five pages on the use of medicinal herbs to treat infection." He wrinkled his nose. "I'll be in the library all day looking for enough information."

Shunsui patted him on the back commiseratingly. "Well, good luck with that."

"You sure you don't want help?" Ryuu asked. "I'd much rather work on kido than a boring essay."

"I've got Ukitake for help," Shunsui replied lazily.

Ryuu laughed. "He's a better teacher than I am, probably! See you later then." Shunsui waved goodbye as the brown-haired student headed down the hall, calling greetings to other friends as he passed open doorways.

Once he was out of sight, Shunsui slid the door shut and looked at Juushiro eagerly. "Looks like the coast is clear," he said in a hushed tone. "You ready?" Juushiro nodded resolutely.

The pair walked casually out of their room, moving quickly but unhurriedly through the corridors. Other students nodded or called greetings as they walked past. Shunsui grinned and waved, winking at the pretty girls, who blushed and giggled. Juushiro rolled his eyes at the display.

Much to Juushiro's relief, none of their teachers were in sight when they exited the dormitories. They strolled through the snowy courtyards, all senses on high alert, until they reached the outside of the office building. Juushiro took a deep breath. "Alright," he murmured to Shunsui. "Any suggestions now?"

Shunsui glanced around furtively, then took Juushiro's hand and let him around the building to a secluded alcove. Wrapping one hand around the pale student's waist, he leaned up against the wall, trapping Juushiro between his body and the wood. To a casual observer, they would look like an ordinary couple. Barely moving his lips, Shunsui whispered, "Can you cast Kyakko on both of us?"

Juushiro nodded slowly. "I can, but we still have to get inside. Doors opening by themselves will surely spark alarm." He bit his lip. _This has so many ways to go wrong_ … "Shihoin-sensei has her help session time now, right?"

Shunsui shrugged. "I think so."

"Good." He grinned mischievously at his roommate. "You're having trouble with Sekienton then. Tell her it keeps exploding in your face."

Shunsui grimaced at him. "Really? Do we actually have to talk to her?"

Juushiro nodded firmly. "If the person manning the desk asks her about us and we never went to see her, she'll be suspicious. Besides, you know to cast Red Smoke Escape. We won't be there for bells, like we would if we asked for legitimate help."

Shunsui grumbled, but agreed. Juushiro gave him a conspiratorial grin. "And, to make it look legitimate…" He trailed off, lifting his right hand to chest level. "Bakudo 21: Sekienton." As red smoke billowed out from his hand, he used a bit of reiatsu to keep the air in front of his face clear. Shunsui wasn't so lucky, and inhaled a lungful of the acrid smoke. He glared at Juushiro, who gave him an innocent look. "We need to make it look realistic," he pointed out. Shunsui couldn't argue with that.

The young woman at the desk took one look at their bedraggled, dust-covered visages and burst out laughing. Shunsui gave her a sheepish grin. "Hey, Mariko. Shihoin-sensei around?"

"What'd you do this time, Kyoraku-kun?" Mariko asked in amusement. She gestured to their uniforms. "Blow yourself up again?"

Shunsui shrugged nonchalantly. "Something like that."

Mariko shook her head in fond exasperation. "You never learn." She gestured to the doorway behind her. "You know where her office is, go on in."

Shihoin-sensei was polite enough to hide her smile when they walked into her office, though her eyes sparkled with merriment. "Trouble with Sekienton?" she asked, gesturing for them to be seated in front of her desk.

"Yes, sensei," Shunsui replied respectfully.

The slender woman nodded, brushing silky violet bangs out of her face. "Show me." Then her eyes narrowed. "Where's your reiatsu?"

Juushiro blanched. _Oh, kami!_ He'dcompletely forgotten that he was still suppressing Shunsui's spirit energy. _What do I say, what can we do?_ Their excuse of an experiment might have fooled Ryuu, but Shihoin-sensei had worlds' more experience – there was no way she'd believe them. _Kami, what do I say?_

While his thoughts scampered in circles, Shunsui chuckled. "Oh, that?" He pretended to fan himself. "Well, you see, sensei…" He slid his hand on top of Juushiro's and gave her a lascivious wink. "We were, ah, experimenting… It's fascinating, really, how reiatsu-sharing can multiply sensations…"

Lifting a hand, Shihoin-sensei cut him off. "Kyoraku, I don't want to know." Her voice was drier than a desert. "However, I can hardly help you with your kido when you lack your full spiritual pressure. Unless you have some reason to maintain your little, ah, experiment…" She lifted an eyebrow.

Juushiro, cheeks a flaming scarlet, hastily shook his head. "No, sensei, of course not." He relaxed his grip on Shunsui's reiatsu, letting the energy flow back into his roommate's body. Sweat trickled down his face, though undoing the suppression was nearly effortless. _Kami, that was close! Though, really, Kyouraku, did you have to pick such an embarrassing excuse?_

The flamboyant student's gamble had paid off, though. Shihoin-sensei asked no more questions as Shunsui rose and began the incantation. Despite his desire to sink into the floor, Juushiro had to admire the way he cut the energy off slightly too early, so the smoke bomb triggered prematurely. It was a mistake many inexperienced practitioners made, but to be able to reproduce it on purpose required more control. Shunsui might not have been in the advanced kido classes, but he was still quite skilled.

Shihoin-sensei quickly diagnosed the problem and guided Shunsui through a correct rendition of the kido. Shunsui bowed gratefully to her. "Thank you, sensei," he said formally.

She waved a hand. "Thank me by showing up on time for my next lesson. Preferably, without conducting any more experiments." Shunsui had the grace to flush. "Ukitake, are you here for anything but to help your friend?" Juushiro shook his head, still blushing, and she made a shooing motion with her hands. "Then go on, get back to work."

They obeyed.


	15. A Little Spark of Hope

**Chapter 15: A Little Spark of Hope**

Once a safe distance from any occupied offices, Shunsui hauled Juushiro into a cramped supply closet and slid the door shut. "Alright, redo the reiatsu thing and cast Kyakko," he breathed, right next to Juushiro's ear. The pale student shivered as Shunsui's breath stirred his long hair. Pressed against each other in the tiny closet, he was very aware of Shunsui's nearness. Shunsui shifted against him, and he could feel the other student's heartbeat quicken. _Damn it_ , he thought to himself. _It's just a reaction to danger, that's all. There's nothing else going on_. He carefully ignored the tension in his roommate's reiatsu, which mirrored his own.

Shunsui swallowed hard as he felt Juushiro's reiatsu wrap around him in a gentle swell of liquid power. It tasted like salt and spring water, and made him wonder what Juushiro's skin would taste like. The slender student's wiry body pressed up against his in a very distracting fashion. If he moved his head a fraction, he could see if Juushiro's lips would taste like his reiatsu. _Not a good idea_ , he reminded himself. As much as he longed to test his theory, now was not the time.

"There," Juushiro whispered in his ear. "We should be invisible now." Shunsui bit back the urge to wrap his arms around his roommate and slid the door open a fraction.

"We're clear," he reported softly. Pulling the door open farther, he slipped out into the corridor. Juushiro followed, reiatsu tightly furled around his body. Shunsui could feel the cord tying his own spirit energy to his roommate, locking down his power. In the back of his mind, he could hear faint whispers, as if someone was talking to him across a great distance, but he couldn't make out any words.

Yamamoto's office was at the end of the hall, adjacent to a tranquil rock garden. A faint layer of snow covered the neatly-raked gravel. Shunsui, hardly daring to breathe, cautiously pushed the door open. Though he couldn't sense anyone nearby, the hairs on the back of his neck prickled as though something was going to leap out at them.

The inside of the office was plain and utilitarian. The barren walls held a single print depicting a branch of cherry blossoms just starting to bloom; the desk contained nothing but an ink pot and a quill. A single mat for visitors sat in front of the low desk, and another rested behind it. A small brazier sat next to the desk, banked for the moment. Behind the desk, a sliding door led to Yamamoto's personal quarters.

Shunsui shuddered. Even in his absence, Yamamoto's reiatsu permeated the room. The fiery power had imprinted itself into the walls and floor, emanating warmth and warning in equal measure. "He wouldn't have left any traps, right?" he asked nervously. The threat in the atmosphere was making him jumpy.

Juushiro shook his head. "I can't feel anything," he replied softly. "But let's hurry up and get out of here."

Both of them looked around the room. Shunsui had expected to find piles of paperwork, similar to the messy stacks in the other instructors' offices. But he couldn't see a single piece of paper anywhere. "How does he keep it so clean?" he asked incredulously. "Shouldn't there be reports or something?" He glanced at the brazier. "Do you think he burns them all?"

Juushiro bit his lip. "Maybe?" He padded over to the small stove. "I hope not." Peering into the coals with a dubious expression, he shook his head. "I can't see any paper scraps."

"So where does he put all of it?" Shunsui asked quietly.

Both students glanced around again. There was simply nowhere to put anything, much less stacks of paper. No cabinets or drawers, not even a small chest.

Then the soft slap of footsteps sounded in the hallway outside. Shunsui and Juushiro froze, staring at each other with panic in their eyes. Kyakko wouldn't protect them if someone actually came into the room. Shunsui twisted his head from side to side frantically. "Over here," he mouthed, sliding the door open. Juushiro gave him a doubtful look, but hurried over to the open doorway. Both students darted inside, and Shunsui slid the door shut seconds before the footsteps paused outside of Yamamoto's office.

"Yamamoto-sama?" It was Shiba-sensei – his gruff voice was unmistakable.

Shunsui reached out blindly and held onto Juushiro's hand with the desperate fervor of a drowning man grasping a life line. Everything depended now on Juushiro's ability to maintain Kyakko and restrain their reiatsu at the same time. Most students wouldn't have had a chance. But Juushiro took slow, steady breaths, and Shunsui could feel the resoluteness emanating from him. Despite the fear amping up their reiatsu, he managed to keep it firmly locked in place. The faint blurriness of vision that always accompanied Kyakko remained as well; somehow Juushiro was able to hold it all together. Shunsui concentrated on reining in his own reiatsu as much as possible and silently reassuring his roommate as best he could.

"Yamamoto-sama? Are you there?" Shiba-sensei called again. Juushiro clenched his fingers tightly around Shunsui's hand, emerald eyes wide with panic and strain. Shunsui smiled grimly back, taking Juushiro's other hand in his as well. He locked gazes with Juushiro, grey eyes conveying all the confidence he felt in his roommate's ability.

After several seconds of silence, they heard Shiba-sensei's footsteps turn and travel back down the hallway. Neither student dared to move for long minutes afterwards.

Finally Juushiro exhaled a shaky sigh and released Shunsui's hands. "I am never, ever doing this again," he murmured.

Shunsui shook his head fervently. "Me neither." Making out with a girl in the supply closet was one thing – the danger of exposure added spice to the encounter, and a few days of detention was the worst that could happen. Almost getting caught in Yamamoto's office was something completely different. Shunsui was reckless, not suicidal.

Now that the danger was past, though, he couldn't resist looking around. The small room, just as spartan as the office, held a low cot, another brazier, and a clothing chest pushed against the wall. Above the bed, an oil painting depicted a dark figure silhouetted against an inferno. "Wonder what that is," he told Juushiro softly.

Juushiro swallowed nervously. "Let's just get out of here," he urged.

As they turned to leave, Shunsui spotted a piece of parchment sticking out from the edge of the brazier. "Wait!" he said urgently.

"That's probably private," Juushiro argued softly. "Leave it."

He knew his roommate was right, but he couldn't leave without checking. "Just one second," he replied, tugging the paper out. The parchment was creased and scorched, but the letters were still legible. To his disappointment, most of the page had burned away; only a fragment remained. But his eyes fastened on Mika's name near the bottom of the scrap. "Regrettable death of Mika Fujimoto… Unfortunately, we do not… This incident… Suspect that the…" he read, frustrated by the lack of substantive information. "There's a name here: Yukio. But I can't tell who he is or what his connection is to all this."

Juushiro bit his lip. "That sounds like Yamamoto-sensei has been investigating Mika's death, at least," he offered. "Though he may not know any more than we do."

Shunsui sighed heavily, replacing the paper amidst the coals. "Damn it," he swore dispiritedly. "Let's get out of here." He couldn't believe that they had taken all this risk for nothing. Just a personal name with no context. There could be a hundred men named Yukio in the Soul Society for all he knew.

Neither student spoke at all on the way back to the dormitories. Juushiro broke his invisibility kido as soon as they left the office wing, and Shunsui waved goodbye to Mariko with an approximation of his usual charm, but his heart wasn't in it. To his relief, they encountered very few people on the way back to their room. He didn't feel capable of being his normal flirtatious self at the moment. _How am I going to fulfill my promise to Mika now?_ he wondered morosely. _I can't even get started. Maybe my family is right; maybe I am useless_. He sighed, plastering a false smile on his face. _Damn it, I need a drink_.

Juushiro gave him a piercing look, but didn't say anything until he slid the door firmly shut behind them. Then the white-haired student turned to him and crossed his arms. "Kyoraku, snap out of it," he ordered firmly. Shunsui's head went back as if he had been slapped. Juushiro narrowed his eyes. "Feeling sorry for yourself won't accomplish anything, and getting drunk will only leave you with a hangover.

"At least it'd be fun," Shunsui replied bitterly.

Juushiro took a step closer to him, dropping his arms. "Would it?" he asked softly. "Or would it only prolong the pain?"

Something in his tone made Shunsui pause. "Does it matter?" he returned resignedly.

To his surprise, Juushiro laughed. "Of course it does. Why do something that's only going to make you hurt more?"

"It's not like we have anything else to be doing," Shunsui retorted. He turned away, pretending to be fascinated by the books next to his bed to avoid looking into Juushiro's knowing emerald eyes.

Juushiro laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "We have a name now. And, better yet, we have evidence!" Shunsui glanced back at him, startled by the excitement in his voice. Juushiro shook his head at the unvoiced question in Shunsui's eyes. "Evidence, not proof. But…" He smiled grimly. "If Yamamoto-sensei is investigating Mika's death in secret, he must suspect that it wasn't entirely an accident. And, to me, that's pretty good evidence that foul play was involved somewhere. Yamamoto-sensei has been fighting hollows for decades; if he's suspicious, he has a reason to be. This isn't just some foolish quest of ours anymore."

Hope sparked in Shunsui's chest. "You really think so?" As quickly as it had come, the flame guttered. "Even so, how does that help us? We don't have access to any of his reasons, and I really doubt that he'll explain himself if we ask nicely. All we've got is a kami-forsaken name!" He flopped down heavily on his cot, leaning back on his hands. Juushiro sat down more gracefully next to him. "Do you know how many men named Yukio there could be? Hundreds, easily!"

"And they'll all be in the Kuchiki clan records," Juushiro replied calmly. "They keep track of every birth and death among the noble families and their retainers. And, if he's not in those records, they also maintain the records of the souls who enter into the Soul Society. He'll be in those for sure."

Shunsui's eyes lit up. "And Rei-san may be heading back there tomorrow!" He grinned, mood restored to his normal cheer. "Juushiro, you're brilliant!" Grabbing his roommate by the shoulders, he pulled the slender student into an exuberant hug.

After a second of surprise, Juushiro wrapped his arms around Shunsui and let his head fall onto his roommate's shoulder. Shunsui breathed in the unique scent of Juushiro's reiatsu and sighed softly. "Thank you," he murmured. Unbidden, his thoughts from the supply closet rose again in his mind. Juushiro's reiatsu flowed like water around them, and his own power rose to meet it. The taste of salt mingled with the scent of blossoms as the mingled energies wrapped around the pair.

Shunsui pulled back slightly to look Juushiro in the eye, keeping his arms wrapped loosely around his roommate's waist. Juushiro looked back at him calmly, hands resting on Shunsui's hips. The gray-eyed student licked his lips nervously, then took a deep breath. "Juushiro…" he started, before stuttering to a halt. The words that flowed so easily with his girlfriends refused to come to his lips. Juushiro watched him without judgment, just a calm expectancy in his eyes. Only the flutter of his breath revealed his own nervousness.

Finally Shunsui cast caution to the winds and leaned forward. Juushiro moved to meet him, and their lips meet in a heated press. Shunsui gasped as the pressure of reiatsu around them intensified. Juushiro tasted like salted caramel and spring rain, with skin as soft as silk. As the kiss deepened, Shunsui's arms tightened around Juushiro, pulling the two of them chest-to-chest.

When Juushiro pulled back, Shunsui's head swam. He offered Juushiro a shaky smile, grateful for the looseness of his hakama. "Damn," he murmured. "Should have done that ages ago."

Juushiro blushed hotly, unable to come up with a response to that.

* * *

Rei stormed into their history class the next day, fifteen minutes late, with reiatsu flaring around her in a cloud of sparks. The class looked up at her in alarm – she had missed the first two classes, and Shunsui had assumed that her parents had taken her back to the estate. "Kuchiki-san, you are late," Kichiro-sensei said dryly. "And out of uniform." Rei wore a lovely fawn-colored kimono, tied with a forest green obi, instead of her red and white shihakusho.

Her lips thinned as she replied coolly, "That's because, as of this morning, I am no longer a student of the Academy."

"What?" Ryuu blurted out, too shocked to be polite.

She nodded curtly. "Mother and Father have decided that I am not safe here, and thus may no longer study at the Academy." She ran a hand through her blond hair, eyes shadowed with weariness. "There is nothing I can say to convince them otherwise. Though…" Her mouth twisted bitterly. "If I don't make a scene, they will permit me private tutors on some of the more ladylike subjects."

"That's absurd," Shunsui objected. "What do they expect you to do, sit at home and embroider for the rest of your life?" He waved a hand. "You're as strong as any of us, there's no way they can do that."

Rei tugged at the ends of her obi. "They don't see it that way," she murmured. Her expression hardened. "Besides, reiatsu strength is useful, but the ability to actually use that strength is hardly considered attractive by the matchmakers." She rolled her eyes, ignoring the way half of the class had flinched at the ice in her tone. "Anyway, I wanted to say goodbye to you all. I've convinced them to let me stay at our estate inside the Seireitei walls, rather than our main estate, so I may be able to come visit at some point." Her lips twisted like she'd bitten into a lemon. "But probably not for a while."

"We'll miss you," Hikaru murmured quietly. "We'll call on you when we can." Though he kept his reiatsu damped to prevent emotion from escaping, his expression held more than a hint of sorrow.

Juushiro sighed. "Remember what we talked about. You have all those libraries at your disposal – use them." He passed her a folded scrap of parchment. "This should give you a place to start, at least." He glanced over at Shunsui and mouthed a single word: 'Yukio.' Shunsui smiled grimly. _Maybe we're finally going to get some answers_.

Kichiro-sensei scowled at them all. "Kuchiki-san, thank you for informing us of your approaching absence. Now, I believe we were covering the aftermath of the Fuji Recession?" He lifted an eyebrow in silent admonition.

Rei bowed to them all, clutching Juushiro's note in her hand. "Thank you, sensei, for your valuable lessons. And thank you all for being my friends." With that, she hurried out of the classroom, eyes bright with tears she refused to shed.

Kichiro snorted. "A pity, but an expected consequence of allowing women to study here." He shook his head. "Now, as I was saying..."

Shunsui tuned out the rest of his sentence. What was the point in learning about some stupid recession that happened a hundred years ago? Pointless information like this was the reason why he often skipped history class – and today, the lesson felt even more useless. None of it would help them find the person who summoned those hollows.

Guilt welled up inside him. _Kami take it, if only I'd been paying a bit more attention_... He bit his lip. _Mika, I won't fail you this time, at least_.

At last Kichiro-sensei tucked his notes into his sleeve and gave them all an abbreviated bow. "I will see you all after lunch." As they began to rise from seiza and gather up their notes, he strode out of the classroom.

Lunch that day was a quiet, sober affair. After explaining Rei's absence to Koji, who had joined them, they ate in silence, punctuated only by the click of chopsticks and the gossip of the other students around them. The loss of both Rei and Mika had sucked the spirit out of the group. Even Ryuu, normally able to carry a conversation on all by himself, was quiet.

At last Koji set down his chopsticks and lifted his head. "Ya know, I heard a rumor," he began softly, glancing around the room to make sure no one was listening. "I don't know how useful it is, but ya might want ta know it, anyway."

Hikaru leaned forward. "What is it?" he asked, equally quiet, though curiosity burned in his eyes.

Koji ducked his head. "Well, I've been making friends with the servants, and one of them, her name's Chiasa, told me that the lord of the Shiba clan was in a right temper the day after Fujimoto-san was killed. Her ma's a cook there, apparently, and she said the lord was screamin' and yellin' something awful. Hit one of the servants when he didn't get outta the way fast enough. And he _never_ does that, ever."

Shunsui and Juushiro exchanged startled glances. "Chiasa?" Shunsui mouthed. _Wasn't that the girl who we – you – rescued from that idiot Gorou?_ Juushiro nodded grimly.

Hikaru's eyes narrowed. "Why was he allowing his anger to spill over onto the household staff? I can understand him being angry with his guards for allowing those hollows through – that's an unconscionable breach of responsibility, after all, and the Fujimoto clan would be within their rights to ask for reparations. But to allow that fury to affect his other servants is hardly exemplary noble behavior."

Koji shrugged, toying with his chopsticks. "I dunno, but Chiasa said her ma said he was screamin' somethin' 'bout a theft."

"A theft?" Hikaru turned his chopsticks over and over in his hands. "Now that makes no sense."

Koji hesitated, then exhaled heavily. "It might not be related. You didn't hear it from me, but I heard Whisper was in town a few nights earlier." He glanced from side to side as though searching for listeners, reiatsu bright with tension.

"That's just a legend," Ryuu scoffed, green eyes wide with scorn. "Whisper isn't real, he's just a story to tell kids at bedtime."

To Shunsui's surprise, Taro shook his head. "Don't be so sure," the muscular student warned quietly.

Koji hunched his shoulders as though waiting for a blow to land, then nodded. "Whisper's real, alright. Trust me." He pressed his lips together firmly, clearly unwilling to say more on the topic.

Aono glanced from Koji to Taro, then back at Koji. A frown drifted over his face. "So, if we assume this mysterious boogeyman is real, why is that important? Whisper's supposed to be an assassin, right?" He lowered his voice. "Do you think someone sent Whisper after one of us, and he's the one who summoned the hollows?"

"Not just an assassin," Taro corrected, when it became clear Koji wasn't going to speak up. He tugged at his sleeves. "The most highly-paid assassin in the Rukongai." He glanced at Koji. "I doubt they would have used hollows as an assassination tool, though. Too sloppy, too easy to miss the actual target. And, according to the stories, Whisper never misses." He shrugged and took a bite of his rice.

"What if the stories are wrong, though?" Ryuu objected. He glanced around the table, eyes bright. "What if Whisper got sloppy this time? Or…" His voice dropped into a whisper. "What if Fujimoto-San wasn't the only target? What if all of us were?" His eyes flared. "What if Whisper is after us, even now?" A mixture of fear and excitement permeated his voice.

"I think you're drawing conclusions from zero evidence," Taro retorted dryly. "No one is going to assassinate you, or any of us except maybe Kuchiki-san." He gave her a little bow. "Seeing as she'sthe heir to one of the Gotei Five, and thus a potentially valuable target."

Rei's face contorted as though she couldn'tfigure out if she should be insulted or pleased. "Thanks."

He shrugged. "It's true."

Juushiro frowned. "I agree that it's unlikely that Whisper was sent after any of us, but I also find the timing to be a bit suspicious." He sighed. "And, frankly, we can't turn down any leads at this point, no matter how slim." His gaze drifted over to Koji. "If you can, can you tell us anything else you hear about Whisper? Any bit of knowledge, no matter how small, may be valuable."

The commoner hesitated. "I'll see what I can do."

* * *

Much to Juushiro's dismay, however, winter break rolled around before they could get any useful answers. None of Koji's mysterious sources – he flatly refused to reveal the source of his information – knew anything of value. And none of Juushiro's discreet questions had revealed anything concrete about Whisper. Stories of his exploits abounded, but hard facts were few and far between.

 _And now it's the day before we all scatter to the winds, and we're no closer to finding Mika's killer_. Juushiro dropped onto his cot and glared at the half-full pack leaning drunkenly against the wall. Hikaru was staying at the Nakamura home in the Seireitei, probably to remain closer to Rei, but the rest of the group were heading to their families' main estates. Once there, messages would be nearly useless – by the time a reply reached the sender, they'd be starting their trip back to the Academy.

He bit back a groan and reached for his pack. _I guess I'd better finish packing; procrastination won't do anything useful at this point_. No matter how much he might wish it.

But he'd scarcely begun to fold a kimono when the door slid open with a bang, revealing a very drunk Shunsui clad in a teal kimono open to the waist. A lemon-yellow obi struggled to keep him halfway decent, but was slowly losing the battle to gravity. Juushiro lifted an eyebrow. "Are you..." he started.

Shunsui lifted his sake bottle high. "Juu-chan!" he caroled happily. "Why aren't you celebrating? It's the end of classes – we're finally free!" He danced into the room, pushing the door shut with one bare foot.

Juushiro pressed his knuckles into his forehead. "Kyoraku, what happened to your tabi?" He didn't bother correcting his roommate's form of address – when Shunsui was this drunk, criticism just slid right off him. _And he's been this drunk more and more lately_ …

Shunsui glanced at his feet in bemusement. "Huh. You know, I don't know." He took a swig from the bottle in his hand. "And that doesn't matter right now. We're celebrating!" He dropped the bottle on his desk and danced over to Juushiro, seizing the pale student's hand in his. "Come on, Juu-chan, have some fun!" Wild merriment sparkled in his eyes, though his reiatsu felt hollow to Juushiro, the cheer no more than a thin shell over a hungry void.

Juushiro let Shunsui tug him to his feet, but took a step back when the drunk student tried to pull him out the door. "I still have to pack," he protested. "Don't you?" The edge of Shunsui's pack stuck out from behind his cot, still completely empty.

Shunsui sobered slightly, smile falling away. "Yeah, well, not really." Then his grin returned full force. "But hey, way more fun here than home! There's all the taverns here, and all the lovely girls in them, and..." He seized Juushiro's hand again. "And it's way more fun!"

Juushiro tugged Shunsui to a halt, capturing his free hand before he could grab the sake bottle again. "Kyoraku, are you not going home for the break?" When Shunsui shook his head, Juushiro made a face. _I should have guessed that, actually, given that nasty note from his father. But I just wasn't thinking_.

Some of his self-recrimination must have shown on his face, for Shunsui laughed. "Aww, Juu-chan, don't feel sorry for me. The city is gorgeous! What more could I want?"

 _Family_ , Juushiro replied silently. _No one should be alone on the longest night of the year_. But he didn't know how to tell Shunsui that. Family, to his roommate, was something to be tolerated, not celebrated.

Still, it was bad luck to celebrate the solstice alone – not to mention lonely. So Juushiro tilted his head to one side. "Would you... would you like to come home with me, then?" he offered shyly.

Shunsui blinked at him in shock. "What?" Juushiro repeated the offer, and Shunsui bit his lip. "I couldn't impose on your family like that..."

"It's no imposition," Juushiro assured him firmly. _Mother might be annoyed that I didn't inform her ahead of time, but she'll be delighted if I finally bring home a friend. Father won't even pretend to be annoyed. And I know my siblings will love you_. He smiled. "I'll warn you, though, my family is a bit, ah, rambunctious." He scratched the back of his head. "They'll run you ragged if you let them." His younger brothers would probably beg for swordfighting lessons, as they did every time he went home, and his sisters would probably join in. _Unless, of course, they want to look like proper ladies in front of our guest, in which case they'll watch from hiding in the rafters_.

Shunsui hesitated. "I really shouldn't..."

Juushiro shrugged, concealing his hurt. "It's up to you, of course."

He dropped his grip on Shunsui's hands, and his roommate promptly grabbed them again. "Are you sure your family won't mind?" the flamboyant student asked, a hint of nervousness in his tone.

"I'm sure," Juushiro reassured him.

Shunsui beamed. "Well, then, I'd love to!" He swooped in and gave Juushiro a soft peck on the lips. "After all, how could I resist spending more time with someone as gorgeous and brilliant and amazing as you?" He kissed Juushiro again, then ruffled his hair.

Juushiro made a face at him. "Kyoraku, you're drunk."

"Doesn't make it false," Shunsui caroled, spinning Juushiro around in a circle. His obi lost the fight to gravity and slipped down his hips, letting his kimono flare out behind him. Juushiro blushed as Shunsui tugged him closer, until they were pressed chest to chest. Then the flamboyant student stopped spinning. "Thank you," he murmured, pressing his lips to Juushiro's forehead. "Seriously, thank you." He claimed Juushiro's lips for one more lingering kiss, then disengaged and grabbed his sake bottle. "Now come on, we have to make the most of the parties tonight if we're leaving tomorrow!"

Juushiro, cheeks flaming, just stared at him, lips twitching with amusement. _Kyoraku, I will never understand you_ , he thought wryly. _But maybe that's half the fun_. He shook his head. "We're leaving before dawn tomorrow," he informed his roommate. "And I'm not a fan of travelling while hungover." Kyoraku gave him his best puppy-dog eyes, and he sighed. "But I suppose a beer or two couldn't hurt." Packing could wait a while, after all.

* * *

 **Author's Note** : If any of you pay attention to the American tech industry, or really to the news in general, you've probably heard about the leaked doc written by a Google employee that alleges that women are not biologically suited to being programmers. You may have also seen some of the leaked screenshots, leaked emails, and leaked Twitter posts, though I suspect few of you will have seen the doxxing and death threats inspired by such leaks.

Unfortunately, though, that's been a large portion of my life for the past week. It's terrifying, frankly, to know that your name might be out there on some toxic website like Vox Day (I don't recommend looking him up), the target of all sorts of nasty threats. And, while I'm probably fairly safe myself, not everyone I know is. And that's exhausting.

I know this has nothing to do with the story, so feel free to ignore it. But that's my life right now.


	16. Homecoming

**Chapter 16: Homecoming**

One beer had turned into two, then three, then four – and then Juushiro had lost count. Shunsui kept asking him if he wanted just one more drink, and he could never quite bring himself to say no. His roommate had insisted on paying for everything, and after the first couple drinks Juushiro had stopped arguing.

Juushiro pried open his eyelids and groaned. "I am never doing that again," he whispered. His tongue felt like it was covered in a fuzzy wool blanket, and his skull pounded like a dozen hollows were battling inside of it. _I don't know how Shunsui does it_... But now he had far more sympathy for his roommate's complaints after a night out. _Kami, this is unpleasant_.

He couldn't even remember everything that they'd done after the first couple bars. There'd been dancing at one point, he knew, and then Shunsui had started flirting with one of the girls on the dance floor, and then she'd brought over a friend... Somehow, he'd ended up snuggled up to Shunsui's side, half in his lap, while both girls giggled and cuddled up to them both. Had he kissed one of them? He couldn't remember.

Shunsui had definitely kissed one of them, right before turning around and kissing Juushiro, too. But things got fuzzy after that.

In the cold light of day, Juushiro wondered if he was supposed to be jealous of Shunsui's affection towards the ladies, but his pounding head left him unable to figure out why he was wondering that. That flirtation was just Shunsui – he wouldn't be himself if he stopped doing it. And he clearly cared about Juushiro, too, so why should he be jealous?

Juushiro groaned. _My head hurts too much to think about this right now_. He glanced at the window, then bolted upright. "Crap!" The movement, combined with the thin sunlight filtering through the window screen, made his head ache even more, but he ignored it. "Shunsui, we're late!"

His roommate pulled himself up onto an elbow. "Huh?"

Juushiro gingerly hauled himself to his feet, wary of the way the contents of his stomach threatened to reappear. "We were supposed to be on the road already!"

Shunsui flopped back down on his cot and threw an arm over his face. "Nuh-uh. I'm sleeping."

Juushiro rolled his eyes. "Kyoraku, if you don't get up and get moving, I'm telling my siblings that you volunteered to be a practice dummy for their kendo lessons." He began to throw the rest of his clothing into his pack, wincing at the haphazard mess he was making. Given their lateness, though, he didn't have time to fold everything properly.

"What happened to calling me by my first name?" Shunsui complained, voice muffled by his arm.

Juushiro's lips twitched. "If I call you Shunsui, will you get up?" His roommate nodded without moving his arm, and Juushiro smiled. "In that case, Shunsui, get your rear out of bed and start packing!"

Shunsui groaned. "You're cruel, Juu-chan." But he obediently stumbled to his feet and began to rummage through his clothes-chest.

Much to Juushiro's dismay, his roommate appeared none the worse for wear after their night out. Though he grumbled under his breath as he tossed clothes into his pack, they were the sort of complaints that he issued every morning – Shunsui was not a morning person. But he bore no signs of the headache or nausea plaguing Juushiro. It simply wasn't fair.

Then again, Juushiro reflected, Shunsui did look rather attractive like this, disheveled and with a hint of stubble on his chin. He stole a glance at his shirtless roommate as he strapped down the lid of his pack, admiring the way the pale sunlight played over his tan skin.

Shunsui intercepted his glance and smirked. "Like what you see?" He posed in the brightest beam of sun, grey eyes dancing with amusement.

Juushiro, cheeks flaming, threw a pillow at him. "Get dressed, baka," he ordered, laughter bubbling through his voice. "We're leaving in ten minutes."

* * *

The setting sun was kissing the horizon, casting long shadows over the land, by the time Shunsui and Juushiro approached the gates of the Ukitake family residence. Three days of travel had left them footsore and covered in road dust, eager for a bath and a proper hot meal, while their white uniforms had turned an unappetizing shade of grey. Even the sheaths of the katanas belted at their sides had acquired a coating of grime.

Despite that, Shunsui's steps took on a renewed vigor as they walked up to the unassuming gates. The small, single-story house beyond them was a far cry from the stately elegance of his childhood home, but it exuded an aura of warmth and comfort. The savory smell of fish stew rose from it, mingling pleasantly with the sea-salt tang of the air. Though the ocean was out of sight now behind a hill, the susurration of waves breaking on the beach still drifted faintly through the air.

The sight of that ocean had stopped Shunsui dead in his tracks the first time it had come into view. The sheer elemental power of those foaming waves, stretching as far as the eye could see, sent shivers down his spine. He had a far greater appreciation for the men and women who lived their lives by its capricious whims – as well as a far greater appreciation for what had to be the source of Juushiro's strength.

He snuck a glance at his roommate, who was almost bouncing as he hurried towards home. _Does he realize how strongly he's tied to this place? He must_ … No wonder Juushiro's reiatsu always held a touch of that sea-salt smell, which had strengthened as they drew nearer to the ocean. Now, with the waves only a shunpo step away, Juushiro practically glowed with power. Aquamarine ribbons of spirit energy danced around him, and his pale skin had taken on a vibrant undertone.

Shunsui licked his lips. _I wonder if he realizes how delectable he looks right now?_ Probably not – Juushiro never seemed to notice physical appearances much. Shunsui grinned. _Which, to be honest, is part of his appeal_. He loved the combination of wickedly sharp intelligence and innocence that Juushiro possessed, though he was beginning to wish that the white-haired student had just a bit less of the latter. _It's rather hard to seduce someone when they don't even notice half of your suggestions_. Kissing was fun and all, but his body ached for something more.

Juushiro glanced back over his shoulder. "Hurry up!" he called, pushing open the gate.

As Shunsui trotted to catch up, a veritable horde of children poured out of the building, shrieking with happiness. If there were intelligible words in their babble, he couldn't hear them, though he did make out a few shrieks that were probably supposed to be diminutives of his roommate's name. He blanched.

Juushiro grinned and grabbed his hand, tugging him forward. "Come on, they're not so intimidating once you get used to them." He waved his hands over his head. "Alright, everyone, settle down."

A middle-aged woman with youthful eyes strode out of the house, followed by a slender man with a long black braid. "Kids, kids, calm down," the woman admonished. She turned to Juushiro. "Welcome home, son."

Juushiro bowed, then abandoned his formal posture to sweep her up in a hug. "You're looking well, as always, Mom," he murmured into her shoulder.

She smiled, holding him for a long moment before taking a step back to regard him at arms-length. "So are you, unlike last time you came home. The Academy must have been treating you better this semester."

A shard of envy grew in Shunsui's heart as he watched the exchange. Juushiro's mother wore a simple yukata made from deep blue cotton, embroided with green fish along the hem. Though her greying hair, worn in a messy bun, gave proof of her age, her reiatsu sparkled with energy. He could practically see the love flowing from her to all of her children, a far cry from his own mother's coolness to her offspring.

Juushiro turned and beckoned him forward, compassion glowing in his emerald eyes. "Shunsui, may I introduce you to my mother, Gina, and my father, Takeo. Mother, Father, this is Shunsui Kyoraku."

Takeo's eyes, the same shade of green as Juushiro's, widened at his surname, but Gina just smiled. "Juushiro's written all about you," she informed him, lips twitching with amusement. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you." He bowed, and she waved a hand. "No need for that formality here, we don't stand on ceremony." Then, much to Shunsui's surprise, she gave him a brief hug. "Welcome to the family."

As Shunsui blinked in shock, Gina turned to the kids, who had been not-so-patiently waiting their turn. "Alright, everyone, say hello properly to our guest."

They all bowed, some more gracefully than others, and Juushiro grinned. "Shunsui, meet my siblings. That's Daisuke, Junichi, Michio, Isao, and Kaoru." He indicated the boys, then waved at the two girls. "And this is Naomi and Sayuri." Both girls dimpled at Shunsui, a faint blush rising to their cheeks. "Don't worry if you don't remember all of their names, we know there's a lot of them!"

"I'll say," Shunsui murmured. The youngest boy, Daisuke, couldn't have been more than three, while Kaoru looked almost old enough to attend the Academy himself. He guessed that Naomi and Sayuri were probably in their young teens, while the rest of the boys couldn't be more than ten. All of the children wore colorful kimonos with long, trailing sleeves, tied with wide obis, though the girls' outfits had more elaborate decorations.

Daisuke toddled up to him, dragging his green sleeves through the dirt of the courtyard. "I'm two!" he announced, holding up two fingers.

"Uh..." Shunsui looked over at Juushiro for help. 'What do I do?' he mouthed. He'd never interacted with a child this young before.

Juushiro swept up his younger brother, propping him on a hip. "Is that how we greet guests?" he teased gently.

Isao, a skinny ten-year-old with lime green eyes and too much energy to stand still, shook his head. "Nuh-uh!" He bowed jerkily to Shunsui. "Can I show you around the house, Kyoraku-san?" he asked politely, before glancing at his mom for approval.

Gina smiled gently. "Maybe later, Isao-kun. Right now, I suspect they want dinner, a hot bath, and a night in a proper bed, in that order."

Shunsui gave her a flamboyant bow, only slightly hampered by the pack weighing down his back. "You are as brilliant as the moon, oka-san!"

She gave him a dry look. "I'm flattered." Then she clapped her hands. "Alright, everyone, go wash up for dinner! You have ten minutes to be at the table."

Dinner with the Ukitake clan proved to be a freeform, informal affair punctuated by chatter and laughter. All of them, even the littlest children, knelt around the low table on flat cushions, passing dishes back and forth whenever someone asked for more. Takeo held little Daisuke in his lap, helping the toddler scoop up rice without getting it all over himself and everyone else.

Shunsui noted with amusement that the rice still managed to end up on the floor, but no one seemed to mind. Takeo simply scooped the majority of it up onto an extra plate and set it aside, then helped Daisuke reposition his chopsticks in his chubby hand.

The kids peppered Juushiro with questions about his life at the Academy, clamoring to know everything from the food he ate to the classes he took. Naomi, the younger of his two sisters, even asked if he'd fallen in love with anyone, which caused a fierce blush to spread across Juushiro's cheeks.

Thankfully, Gina cut that line of conversation off before they could tease him too much. Juushiro cast an apologetic glance at Shunsui, still crimson-cheeked with embarrassment, but Shunsui just grinned. _You are far too cute when you're blushing like that_ , he told his roommate silently, giving him a broad wink. Juushiro, guessing at his train of thoughts, glared at him.

Slowly the meal wound down, with both Daisuke and the five-year-old Junichi beginning to yawn. Shunsui caught himself stifling a yawn or two, as well – it had been a long, exhausting journey.

Takeo glanced over at him and Juushiro. "You two must be exhausted," he suggested, adroitly catching Daisuke as the toddler slid off of his lap. "Why don't you visit the onsen, then go to bed?"

Juushiro smiled wearily. "That sounds like a good plan, oto-san," he replied, pulling himself to his feet. He offered Shunsui a hand up as well. "Come on, let's go get cleaned up," he urged.

Shunsui grinned. "Your wish is my command!" Not that he had any objections – getting the grime off his skin would feel heavenly.

The onsen, like most bathhouses, featured a set of indoor bathing stations equipped with low stools and wooden buckets. Shunsui hissed as the chilly water cascaded over his skin, then set to scrubbing with a will. _I think the dust is permanently embedded in my skin_ … He snuck a glance at Juushiro, who was also scrubbing vigorously, and grinned. _Not that he's in much better shape_. The long days of traveling had left their mark on his fair skin and snowy hair, turning both a color closer to brown. It didn't diminish his attractiveness, though – if anything, Shunsui was even more turned on by him like this.

Juushiro glanced up in time to catch a glimpse of Shunsui's expression as that particular thought passed through his head, and grinned. "Copper for your thoughts?" A hint of mischief sparkled in his emerald eyes.

Shunsui bit his lip to keep from groaning. "You…" He shook his head. "You're gorgeous, you know that?" _And so bloody sexy_ …

A pink blush spread across Juushiro's cheeks. "Ah… thank you." He dipped his head, looking up through his lashes in a way that should have seemed feminine, but was instead simply Juushiro. "So are you."

Shunsui blinked, then smirked. "Of course I am!" He kept his tone light, almost joking, though a blush of his own threatened to paint his cheeks red. The sincerity in that compliment… He shifted his hips awkwardly. _Okay, I really need to get laid_ …. A few simple words shouldn't have been that much of a turn-on.

Juushiro chuckled as he rose from the stool and wrapped a towel around his waist. "Do you want to stay in the showers all night, or are you coming?" He pushed open the door leading to the outdoor pool, offered Shunsui a playful smile, and slipped outside.

"Not yet," Shunsui growled under his breath, hastily pouring a final bucket of water over his head to rinse away the last traces of soap. "Not yet." Though he was starting to rethink his impression of his roommate's innocence. Either Juushiro was the most oblivious young man in the entire Soul Society… _Or he knows exactly what he's doing_. Shunsui rose and wrapped a towel around his hips. _If only we weren't under his parents' roof, I could find out!_ He sighed. _As it is, this might be a long winter break_ …

* * *

Shunsui would have been happy to stay in the hot springs for the entire night, but when he caught himself nodding off he knew it was time to get out. So he reluctantly forced himself into the frigid air, hissing as it hit his skin. "Kami, that's cold!" He bounced from foot to foot to minimize contact with the frozen stones surrounding the spring as he quickly grabbed a towel and dashed for the door to the bathhouse.

Juushiro followed as he slid the door open. "It's not that bad," he admonished playfully, securing his towel around his waist.

Shunsui favored him with a sardonic look. "It's freezing," he pointed out, pushing the door shut as Juushiro stepped inside. Then he grinned. "But I know a great way to warm up."

The coal-filled brazier cast flickering shadows against the far wall as he stepped closer to Juushiro, a mischievous smile playing about his features. "Shunsui, you are incorrigible," Juushiro muttered, but he willingly stepped into Shunsui's embrace.

Shunsui breathed in the scent of his reiatsu for a moment, treasuring the simple pleasure of skin-to-skin contact. "You are so bloody beautiful," he murmured, running his fingers through Juushiro's wet, spiky hair. "So beautiful." He pressed a kiss to the pale student's neck, making Juushiro shiver.

"Shunsui..." Juushiro broke off with a gasp, tipping his head back as Shunsui lightly bit at the column of muscle running up the side of his neck. His hands tightened around Shunsui's waist.

Shunsui nibbled at his earlobe. "Yeah?" he breathed, transferring his attention to Juushiro's jawline.

Juushiro sighed and began tracing random patterns on Shunsui's back. "Don't take this the wrong way, but..." A yawn interrupted him, and he blushed.

Shunsui chuckled, feeling a yawn of his own fighting to escape. "Alright, maybe sleep is a better option right now." He captured Juushiro's lips in a gentle kiss, then disengaged.

Juushiro padded over to the bench where his jinbei lay, then bit his lip. Without looking at Shunsui, he murmured, "Are you..." The words trailed off as he pulled on the loose sleepwear pants, tightening the drawstring around his waist.

Shunsui lifted an eyebrow. Juushiro's reiatsu held a distinct undertone of nervousness, though his roommate was doing his best to keep it under control. "What's wrong?"

Juushiro's cheeks flamed scarlet as he turned to face Shunsui. He stared at the floor as he shrugged, twisting his fingers together in front of him. "It's just..." He lifted one shoulder, hands spread.

Shunsui stepped closer to him. "Juu-chan, whatever you're worrying about, I promise you don't need to." He stumbled over his words, mangling their order, but Juushiro nodded anyway. Shunsui went on, "You are amazing, and gorgeous, and wonderful. So stop worrying."

Juushiro gave him a crooked grin. "Thanks." He shrugged into the baggy jinbei top, fastening it with the ties at the hips, then handed Shunsui his own jinbei. "And thank you for understanding."

The comment made Shunsui laugh as he pulled on the jinbei. "That's your specialty, not mine," he teased. "Brilliant Juu-chan, always able to see into people's hearts more clearly than they can." _Including mine_.

To his relief, Juushiro's reiatsu lightened. "You don't give yourself enough credit," he replied lightly. "You're far better at charming people than I am." He scooped up his discarded towel, then nodded towards the exit. "You ready?"

Shunsui tightened the last tie on the top and grabbed his own towel, fighting back another yawn. "Lead the way."

Given his exhaustion, Shunsui had thought he would fall asleep instantly, but instead he lay awake listening to the creaks and murmurs of the sleeping house. Little noises, the younger children shifting restlessly in their sleep in the room next door, startled him every time he began to fall into a doze. He wasn't accustomed to feeling this many unformed spiritual pressures around him – at the Academy, the vast majority of students kept their reiatsu tightly locked down as a matter of habit.

At last he fell into a fitful sleep, where he sprinted through endless mazes of twisting walls and blood-streaked floors. A woman sobbed somewhere in the distance; her cries occasionally broke into insane laughter before returning to heartbroken wails. But he could never find her.

* * *

The sun had barely peeked its head above the horizon when a skinny body pounced on Shunsui's sleeping form with a wild cry. He jolted awake. "Huh? Wha?" Blinking muzzily, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and tried to slow his pounding heart. He realized that his right hand clutched his zanpakuto in a white-knuckled grip, and sheepishly relaxed his fingers. _At least I didn't draw the blade. That'd be a fine way to repay the Ukitake clan's hospitality, to terrify the living daylight out of the kids_. The now-familiar voice in the back of his head snickered sardonically, but he ignored it.

The boy perched on his chest giggled. "Kyoraku-san, are you gonna come ice fishing with us today?" he asked brightly. His hazel eyes widened pleadingly as he gave Shunsui a hopeful look.

"You're far too cheerful for this early in the morning," Shunsui grumbled, flopping over onto his side and throwing an arm over his head. "Why are you awake, anyway?" _More to the point, why do_ I _have to be awake?_ The child – Shunsui couldn't remember his name – shifted his weight as Shunsui moved, so that he straddled Shunsui's hips. The lazy soul reaper groaned, twisting feebly to try to dislodge the boy, but to no avail. _Damn it, he clings like he's stuck to me with kido_ , Shunsui thought ungraciously. However, he retained enough sense, even in his half-awake state, to keep the observation firmly behind closed lips.

Before the boy could answer, Gina Ukitake stepped into the room. "Isao, you know better than to bother our guest," she reprimanded gently.

Isao looked up at his mother with an impish grin. "Aww, Mom, I'm not bothering him. I just think he should come ice fishing with us!" He offered her a winsome look. "Don't you think it'd be fun?" Shunsui eyed him skeptically, but the ten-year-old didn't notice.

Gina smiled peaceably. "I think Kyoraku-san might prefer a few more bells of sleep," she suggested diplomatically.

Isao turned his hopeful puppy-dog eyes onto Shunsui. "Kyoraku-san? Would you really rather sleep than go ice fishing? It's a lot of fun!" His tone conveyed his incredulous disbelief than anyone could choose sleep when the tantalizing possibility of ice fishing existed.

"Ah, well… Um…" Shunsui muttered eloquently. He couldn't bear to dim the spark of hope in those wide hazel eyes, but Gina was correct – he really would prefer to go back to sleep. He opened his mouth to say as much, then hesitated, struck by the conviction glowing in Isao's eyes. _He really thinks I'll say yes_ , Shunsui realized with dismay. The boy bounced impatiently on Shunsui's hips as he waited for an answer, gap-toothed grin gleaming.

Much to Shunsui's relief, Juushiro came to his rescue, asking wryly, "Shunsui, do you even know how to fish?" He ran his hand through his tousled white hair, a hint of a smile playing about his lips. "It's not as easy as it looks, you know."

Shunsui grinned foolishly at his roommate, admiring the way the first rays of light danced through his silky hair. He knew that he must look silly, gaping like that, but he didn't care. _He's beautiful_ , he told himself silently. _Anyone would take the chance to appreciate that_.

A particularly hard bounce from Isao brought him back to his senses. "Ow," he muttered, eying the boy ruefully.

Gina chuckled. "Alright, Isao, that's enough. He's not a horse, you know." She reached down and lifted her son off of Shunsui. He heaved a sigh of relief, surreptitiously rubbing his thigh where Isao had accidentally kicked him.

Isao squirmed indignantly in her grasp, protesting, "Mom! Stop it!"

She laughed and set him down in the doorway. "Now, run along," she urged. "I'm sure your father is waiting for you." Isao rolled his eyes, but obediently trotted out the door. Gina turned to Shunsui with a gracious smile. "Please excuse my son's behavior; he's a bit enthusiastic."

Shunsui mustered up a winning grin. "It's no problem, ma'am. Though you're correct; I would be a useless addition to a fishing trip." Fishing was something servants did, not nobles. Hunting, yes; some of the younger nobles enjoyed hunting for sport. But not fishing. _I probably wouldn't know which end of the pole to hold_ , he thought with amusement.

Gina shrugged. "That's not an issue, dear, we wouldn't expect you to." She gave him a motherly smile. "Why don't you have Juushiro show you around the estate after breakfast?" Gesturing towards the kitchen, she added, "The girls are cooking tamagoyaki."

Juushiro laughed, swinging his legs out of bed. "I hope they've gotten better since I was last here, or they'll burn down the kitchen without you there to supervise." Turning to Shunsui, he explained, "When my sisters were little, they desperately wanted to make sakura mochi, but they didn't realize how flammable sugar is. So when they tried to melt it, they accidentally set it – and part of the counter – on fire."

Shunsui's eyes widened as he tried not to choke on his own laughter. "You know, I probably would have done the same thing," he informed them, making the two of them chuckle. _Like fishing, cooking is something servants do. I can just imagine Cook's expression if I did that to his kitchen, though_. The cook at the Kyoraku estates, a rail-thin man with slicked-back hair and a perpetually sour expression, heartily disliked Shunsui, and the feeling was mutual.

Gina smiled fondly, smoothing down her obi. "That was five years ago," she reminded Juushiro dryly. "They've gotten much better, as you should know."

He raised an eyebrow. "Last summer, Naomi attempted to feed me a dish made of dried plums, fresh seaweed, and undercooked fish," he teased, and Shunsui grimaced. _Hopefully breakfast won't be quite so… unique_. Though he was sure that the shy, blushing adolescents that he'd met the night before would be trying their hardest.

Gina sighed, shaking her head indulgently. "And you'll never let her forget it, will you?" She chuckled. "Regardless, I expect you boys to be at the breakfast table, washed and dressed, in ten minutes." She gave them both the firm stare of a parent who has seen too many 'washed' hands with dirt under the fingernails or smudges on the wrist, and Juushiro hid a smile.

"Yes, Mom, we'll be there," he promised. She patted him on the shoulder and swept out of the room.

The minute the hem of her kimono vanished around the corner, Shunsui flopped back down with a pitiable groan. "Do all of your relatives get up this early?" he complained, burrowing back under the blankets.

Juushiro began rolling up his bedding, ignoring Shunsui's mutters as he tried to find the warmest parts of the blankets. Once he finished, he glanced over with a grin. "You know, my mom means it when she says ten minutes," he warned lightly.

Shunsui heaved a sigh. "Can't I just sleep for a few more bells?" he begged, giving Juushiro his best pitiful expression.

His roommate raised an eyebrow. "Trust me, you do not want to face my sisters after you let their hard work on breakfast go to waste." Shunsui bit back a curse, wrapping the blankets more tightly around him. Juushiro rolled his eyes and turned away, stripping off his night shirt and rummaging in his packs for a change of clothes.

"Now that's not fair," Shunsui muttered, enraptured by the way the soft golden light highlighted the muscles of Juushiro's back. He guessed that his roommate had no idea of the effect he was having, but that didn't help matters for Shunsui. _Damn it_ , he thought to himself, wondering what Juushiro would do if he followed the impulse to reach out and touch. He'd seen his roommate shirtless before, of course, but now felt different somehow. _You are far too gorgeous for your own good_.

Juushiro turned, an odd expression on his face, and Shunsui gulped. "What's not fair?" he inquired softly.

"Oh, um, nothing," Shunsui replied, cursing his friend's keen hearing.

Juushiro set down the kosode he was holding and walked over to Shunsui. Kneeling beside the cot, he tipped his head to one side, and asked again, "What's not fair? It's clearly something." A spark of mischief danced in his eyes as he watched Shunsui's eyes dart around the room in search of inspiration.

At last the flamboyant student gave up and allowed his gaze to rest on Juushiro's face. "You," he growled, grabbing Juushiro's shoulders. "You are not fair." His roommate's skin felt like silk under his fingers; the simple contact made his heart race.

Rather than move away, Juushiro laid a hand next to Shunsui's hip and rested his weight comfortably on the cot. The corners of his mouth twitched as he leaned closer the flustered student. Shunsui swallowed hard as Juushiro's reiatsu enveloped him in a sea of controlled power, bringing back vivid memories of their first kiss. "Yeah… Definitely not fair," he muttered hoarsely. _If you knew what I wanted to do to you, you'd run away screaming_ , he thought wistfully. _But I can dream_.

Juushiro smiled like a cat with a bowl of cream. "And why is that?" he murmured.

Shunsui had had enough teasing, however unwitting it may have been. _I'm beginning to suspect that he might know what he's doing, after all_ , he thought wryly. Using a simple grappling reversal, he yanked Juushiro down and flipped them over, pinning Juushiro's shoulders to the cot. Juushiro inhaled sharply, and the sound went straight to Shunsui's groin. "I think you know perfectly well why," he challenged, face only inches away from Juushiro's.

The trapped student grinned. "And if I do?" he teased. Shunsui's grip relaxed for a second in surprise, and Juushiro seized the opportunity. Wrapping his legs around Shunsui's waist, he grabbed the bigger student's shirt and snapped his hips up and sideways.

Shunsui blinked dazedly. One moment, he'd had Juushiro pinned underneath him; the next, he lay flat on his back with Juushiro straddling his hips. "So not fair," he repeated, hands clenched in the blankets as he resisted the urge to run his fingers over the smooth planes of Juushiro's abs.

Juushiro smiled smugly. "Don't you remember Kichiro-sensei's lessons? You never have your opponent defeated unless you control both their arms and their legs."

"Oh, I don't know," Shunsui purred, running his eyes over Juushiro's chest. "I think I like this position almost as much." Like may have been an understatement, at least according to certain parts of him. _Damn, Juushiro, you look hot like this_.

He half expected Juushiro to punch him for the innuendo. But, although the pale student's cheeks turned pink, he merely grinned. "Good to know. So, are you going to get up now?"

Shunsui blinked. _Ok, that can't have been intentional_ , he told himself firmly. _Ignore the possible connotations, however tempting they may be, and answer the question_. Though he longed to see how much brighter he could get Juushiro to blush, he figured that he really would get punched if he gave a lewd answer. So he nobly restrained himself.

Well, mostly. "You know, I can think of so many answers to that question," he teased, and grinned as Juushiro's color heightened. "But yes, I'll get up now." He tilted his head slightly and licked his lips. "But first…"

Juushiro's eyes slid closed as Shunsui relinquished his death grip on the blankets in favor of the white-haired student's shoulders again. He tugged gently, and Juushiro willingly shifted his position so they were lying chest to chest. Shunsui tangled his hands in Juushiro's hair, then paused, giving him a crooked grin. "Is this okay?" he asked softly.

Juushiro's answer, though nonverbal, was an emphatic yes.

* * *

 **Author's Note** : Major thanks to Silverfang KJ, EmpressSaix, and CorinneKei for the lovely reviews! You all kept me writing as the turmoil slowly died down, only to grow again with the advent of the Charlottesville riots. Stay safe out there, everyone!


	17. Tangled Threads

**Chapter 17: Tangled Threads**

If Juushiro hadn't reminded Shunsui that they had a deadline, things might have heated up significantly. As it was, they barely made it to breakfast on time. Juushiro nibbled absentmindedly on his tamagoyaki, sneaking glances at the flamboyant student beside him when he thought Shunsui wasn't looking. His roommate had chosen to wear a maroon kimono over azure hakama today; the colors were bright enough to blind an unwary observer. Juushiro hid a grin. _You sure know how to make an impression, don't you?_ he asked Shunsui silently.

Laughter bubbled up inside of him as he shook his head. _You certainly made one on me_. If someone had told him at the beginning of the term that he'd be infatuated – at the very least – with his infuriating roommate, he would have laughed his head off. But now, well… _Now it just seems natural_.

Shunsui quirked an eyebrow as Juushiro's chopsticks paused, halfway to his mouth. "Everything alright?" he asked in a casual tone that didn't quite hide the note of worry in his voice.

Juushiro nodded hastily. "Of course. Everything's great." Shunsui eyed him skeptically, and he infused cheer into his reiatsu. "Really," he reassured his friend. _Yes, everything is great. Except that I can't stop thinking about the way your hands felt on my skin, and that is not a proper thing to be thinking about_. He felt the blood rushing to his cheeks, and blushed harder when Shunsui grinned conspiratorially at him.

Thankfully, the irrepressible student chose not to press the issue. Instead, Shunsui asked, "So, are you going to show me around like your mom suggested?" He shoveled a mouthful of tamagoyaki into his mouth, gesturing with his chopsticks as he continued, "It looks like a beautiful place. I'd love to see more of it."

"Swallow before you talk," Juushiro suggested dryly.

Shunsui rolled his eyes, but did as bid. "You sound like my nurse," he grumbled. "She was always telling me to sit up straighter and behave myself."

Juushiro returned his look dryly. "Maybe because you needed the correction?" he suggested.

Shunsui shrugged cheerfully. "Maybe," he admitted. "Doesn't mean I liked it, though."

"My mom did the same thing," Juushiro informed him with a fond smile. "She never let us get away with anything." Mealtimes were hardly formal in the Ukitake household, but woe betide the child who showed bad manners. They would be eating in the kitchen until she decided that they'd learned their lesson.

Gina, who had swept into the room just in time to hear Juushiro's statement, laughed. "And a good thing, too, otherwise I would have had a house full of pigs, not children," she teased.

Juushiro buried his face in his hands. "Mom, we weren't that bad," he protested in a mortified tone.

"Oh, yes you were," she retorted gaily. "Remember the time…" she began, before Juushiro interrupted quickly.

"Please, no childhood stories," he begged. _I know you have an endless store of them, but please, not in front of Shunsui!_ Every holiday gathering, she would tell amusing anecdotes about him and his siblings to their relatives and visitors, and never failed to embarrass all of them. _Shunsui does not need to know what Kaoru and I did with that fishing boat, or the attempt to track down a nonexistent kitsune in the forest with Naomi and Sayuri_. He'd been much younger then, and much more foolish. _Some things can remain in the past, thank you very much_.

Gina chuckled, patting him on the shoulder. "Alright, I'll leave you two alone." She winked at Juushiro, who felt a disconcerted blush creeping over his cheeks again. _Mom, please don't tell me you're playing matchmaker_ , he begged silently. _I don't need help with that, no matter what you might think!_ While he was eternally grateful that she accepted his preference for his own sex, he desperately wanted to avoid her meddling in the situation between him and Shunsui. _It's complicated enough already_.

His mother must have guessed what was going through his mind, for she smiled and patted his shoulder again before taking his empty plate. "You two have fun," she urged, picking up Shunsui's plate as well, then walking out the door.

Shunsui grimaced, expression forlorn as he watched her leave. "You're lucky to have such a good mom," he told Juushiro softly.

Juushiro tipped his head to one side. "How so?" he asked tentatively. Family had been a sore topic with Shunsui ever since the disastrous practice patrol, and he hesitated to pry at open wounds. But it sounded like Shunsui wanted to talk.

He made a face. "My mom never really noticed what we did, I think. She certainly never saw much of me, except on formal occasions." Juushiro winced, and Shunsui shook his head, determined to dispel the pang of sadness that had struck him as he watched the interaction between Juushiro and his mother. "So, what are you going to show me?" he asked, resolutely cheerful.

Juushiro sighed, but accepted the abrupt change of subject. "There's a lovely spring a few miles away," he mused, tapping his fingers on the table. "My siblings and I would go picnicking there on occasion, when we wanted to get out of the house for a while. If you don't mind a bit of a walk, we could go there."

"Won't it be frozen?" Shunsui asked dubiously.

Juushiro shook his head. "I've never seen it freeze over, not even when we've had three feet of snow on the ground. I don't know why, but the water is always crystal clear too." It wasn't a hot spring, though – the waters never even reached lukewarm.

Shunsui shrugged. "Sure, sounds like fun," he replied, rising from his cushion. "But we'd better dress properly; I bet it's freezing out there."

Juushiro rose as well, smoothing down folds in his kimono. Lifting an eyebrow, he asked dryly, "Did you forget the kido Shihoin-sensei taught us to keep warm no matter how cold it is outside?"

Shunsui smacked himself in the forehead. "Right! Yeah, I can do that one."

"Hopefully," Juushiro muttered under his breath. Students who lost control of that particular kido tended to end up singed.

* * *

Thankfully, however, Shunsui executed the kido perfectly, albeit slowly. Juushiro, swathed in a similar haze of warming reiatsu, chuckled at his victorious expression. "Come on, let's go," he urged, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

"I'll race you, if you're so impatient," Shunsui suggested, a grin of his own stretching his mouth.

"You have no idea where you're going," Juushiro retorted.

Shunsui shrugged nonchalantly. "I'll just follow the path. How hard can it be?"

"Pretty hard," Juushiro informed him dryly. "The path is a goat track, and I doubt anyone has walked all the way to the spring since the most recent snowfall. Fancy trying to follow that through the woods?" When he was younger, he'd even gotten lost once or twice trying to find it, though he'd always managed eventually. They'd once had to send out a search party for Isao, on the other hand. _Now that was a terrifying afternoon_. They had finally found the young boy, shivering but unharmed, several miles away from the spring, but only after bells of hunting. He shook his head ruefully. _I have no desire to organize a similar search for Shunsui_.

Juushiro hid his grin as Shunsui rolled his eyes. "Fine, you win," he muttered. "Lead on, then."

Although Juushiro hadn't visited the spring in winter in years, the first part of the path was easy to find. It led off of the road to the village, winding through the forest for a ways before turning uphill. Enough people had walked the first stretch to pack down the snow into something manageable. He sensed fading remnants of his siblings' reiatsu, along with minute traces from the more powerful villagers.

He led Shunsui up the path at a healthy pace, until both of them were breathing hard. At last Shunsui held up a hand, bracing the other on his knee. "Enough!" he begged breathlessly. "Why am I the only one out of breath?" A second after the last word left his mouth, he winced, and added hastily, "Sorry, I didn't mean that the way it sounded."

Juushiro shrugged. "It's not a problem." In truth, the frosty air nipped at his lungs and shortened his breath, but he was used to that by now. The warming kido took care of the worst of it, so he could breathe relatively normally. "If you hiked this trail every day as a kid, you'd be used to it too," he informed his roommate.

Shunsui slouched against a tree and lifted a hand dramatically to his brow. "Oh, Juushiro, I don't think I can go on," he proclaimed. "You'll have to continue without me." Merriment sparkled in his grey eyes as he gazed at Juushiro from under lowered eyelashes. With the hand not pressed against his forehead in imitation of a fainting damsel in distress, he dug around in his belt pouch for a flask of sake.

 _He does have gorgeous eyes_ , Juushiro mused, amused at his own train of thought. _Even when he's pretending to pout, it's rather adorable_. But he had no intention of encouraging such behavior. Keeping his eyes fixed on Shunsui, he casually reached down to the side of the path, where the snow had drifted against the trees. "You sure?" he teased.

Shunsui's eyes narrowed. "What are you planning?" he asked suspiciously.

Juushiro raised his hand, revealing the packed snowball within. "Just a bit of incentive to keep moving," he explained, mischief sparkling in his eyes.

"Oh, really?" Shunsui replied, snatching up his own handful of snow. "You really want to play that game, huh?" Abandoning his helpless pose completely, he squished the snow into a serviceable ball. Hefting it threateningly, he warned, "I've got better aim than you."

"Since when?" Juushiro scoffed playfully, tossing his snowball up and down. "You can't hit the kido targets more than four times out of ten." There was a reason why every kido master associated with the Academy had added their own reinforcing and shielding spells to the wall behind the kido targets, though Shunsui was far from the only student with bad aim.

Shunsui grinned wickedly. "Want to try me?" he purred, eyes glinting.

Juushiro laughed. "Bring it!" As he spoke, he flung himself to the side with shunpo, so he ended up hovering over the snow drifts lining the trail. Shunsui's first snowball sailed harmlessly past his shoulder, and he grinned.

The second snowball smacked directly into his chest.

Juushiro stared down at the powdery mess covering his jacket, dumbfounded. "Why can't you do that with your kido?" he blurted out.

Shunsui snickered. He had already made two more snowballs, and bounced them casually in his hands. "Snowballs are a lot easier to aim than kido," he pointed out reasonably.

"No, they're not," Juushiro objected. "Kido goes where you want it to go." Snowballs, on the other hand, stubbornly obeyed the basic laws of motion. _Though, I wonder if I could use a kido like Sho to change the trajectory of a snowball in flight?_ Now that would be an interesting experiment. _Let's see. Sho only provides a short shove, and that's generally aimed directly away from the caster. But the direction can be changed_. Shihoin-sensei had taught him a technique that allowed him to specify the point of origin of the kido, within a certain range. _So if I threw the snowball, I could probably provide subtle corrections_ , he mused.

Shunsui's third snowball splashed against his face.

"Gah!" he yelped, scraping snow off of his skin. "That's cold!" He snatched up a second snowball and hefted them menacingly. "Alright, it's on." As Shunsui took a step backward, attempting to smother his laughter behind his hand, Juushiro tossed one snowball high into the air. Shunsui's gaze automatically went to track its flight, and Juushiro hurled the second snowball directly into the flamboyant student's fancy coat.

Shunsui's mouth dropped open in surprise. "That's freezing!" he spluttered. "Oh, you're…"

"Hado 1: Sho!" Juushiro interrupted, firing the kido into the falling snowball. It blasted towards Shunsui with all the force of a well-aimed kido behind it, and crashed into face.

"Really, really freezing!" Shunsui complained laughingly. "No fair using kido!" The snowflakes had begun to melt as soon as they entered the sphere of his warming kido; he brushed away the liquid droplets with a grimace. More partially-melted flakes clung to his hair and kimono, giving him the appearance of a snow spirit out a tale. _Well, if you ignore the garish clothing_.

Juushiro lifted an eyebrow. "I think it's perfectly fair," he replied calmly. "It's payback." _If I get snow crystals down my kimono, so do you_.

Shunsui gave him a crooked grin. "Is that so?" He took a step forward, balancing on the air as he stepped over a patch of ice. "In that case, what will you do if I do…" He tossed both snowballs at Juushiro's torso, one after another, and continued, "…this?"

Juushiro didn't notice, until it was too late, that his dodge around the snowballs took him a hand's breadth too close to his roommate. Shunsui pounced.

The next thing Juushiro knew, he was flat on his back in the snow, with a gleeful Shunsui perched on his hips. Shunsui lifted a handful of snow and let it trickle through his fingers, drifting closer and closer to the open vee of Juushiro's collar. The trapped student lifted both hands in laughing surrender. "Alright, alright, you win," he admitted. _And I see why you said you liked this position, earlier_. He could have pulled off another reversal, but he wanted to see what Shunsui would do now that he held the upper hand.

The flamboyant student grinned flirtatiously. "So, does that mean I get a prize?" he teased.

Juushiro tipped his head to one side. Mustering up his courage, he mimicked Shunsui's playful tone when he purred, "That depends what you mean by prize."

He could feel his cheeks flush with embarrassment at his awkward attempt at flirting, but Shunsui didn't seem to mind. He leaned forward, letting his breath wash over Juushiro's neck as he whispered, "What sort of prize would you be willing to give me?"

Juushiro swallowed hard. Shunsui's reiatsu drifted around them both, a haze of desire and mischief mingling into a heady cocktail of sensation. He allowed some of his own energy to join the flow, and had the pleasure of watching Shunsui's breath quicken. _I really don't know how to respond to that_ , he thought nervously, running through his options in his head. _I can't tell how serious Shunsui is; with his playful nature, he could just be teasing. I know he likes me, but is it just physical attraction, or something more?_ Either was a possibility. Juushiro lacked sufficient experience in the games of love to interpret Shunsui's signals with confidence, which enhanced his nervousness.

Possibly Shunsui sensed his hesitance, for he smoothed back a stray tendril of Juushiro's hair, and murmured, "Just tell me to stop if you're uncomfortable, alright?" His gray eyes bored into Juushiro's emerald ones, silent proof of his sincerity.

Juushiro nodded slowly. "I don't…" The words came out as a whisper. He coughed, clearing his throat, and tried again. "I don't… want you to stop," he murmured hoarsely. _I might not know exactly what I want, but I know that I don't want that. I want to see where this goes_.

Shunsui smiled tenderly at him. "Good." The corners of his mouth twitched, and he added playfully, "I'm enjoying this far too much to stop now, so long as you're having fun." He ran his fingers over Juushiro's cheek before tangling them in his hair. Juushiro stifled a gasp as his friend tugged gently, and Shunsui chuckled. "So, you like that?" he murmured.

Cheeks crimson with embarrassment, mingled with arousal, Juushiro nodded shyly.

"Good," Shunsui repeated. He tugged a bit more firmly, tipping Juushiro's head back. The pale student was dimly aware of the snow soaking through his kimono, but the sensation was a distant nuisance when compared to the heat coursing through him in the wake of Shunsui's fingertips on his exposed throat. His nerves felt like they were on fire.

Juushiro squirmed under Shunsui's weight as the other student trailed his fingers in random patterns across his skin. "You know, this really isn't the best place," he muttered as a freezing blast of wind swept through the forest and whistled down his coat.

Shunsui just chuckled and claimed his lips in a heated kiss. When he lifted his head, he pointed out, "It's not like we can do this with your family all around."

Juushiro licked his lips, staring up at the flamboyant student. _Why can you always make my head spin?_ he asked silently. Shunsui leaned down, and Juushiro let his eyes flutter closed as his roommate kissed him again.

If not for the snow, things might have progressed farther, but warming kidos didn't protect against the melting snow seeping through their clothes. After a few minutes, Shunsui released Juushiro with a regretful sigh. "I suppose we should continue hiking," he muttered, offering Juushiro a hand up. The slender student accepted, allowing Shunsui to pull him to his feet.

"Probably," he replied, brushing snow off of his kimono. _If we don't start moving soon, the cold will become a real issue_. Wet garments in this weather were never a good idea.

Shunsui followed suit with a grimace. "I don't suppose you know any kido to dry us off," he asked without much hope.

Juushiro shook his head. "Unfortunately, I don't. But if we strengthen the warming kido, it should help." Kido had some odd gaps in what it could and couldn't do. A skilled caster could warm themselves, but not dry themselves, for instance. _I wonder if anyone really understands how it works_ , he mused as he sent more reiatsu into the kido wreathing him in warmth. _I certainly don't, and I doubt Shihoin-sensei does_. And she was one of the most skilled practitioners that he knew.

Steam rose off of their clothes as Juushiro studied Shunsui's kido with a critical eye. "Good," he nodded. "That's the perfect amount of power to put into it."

Shunsui executed a flowery bow. "Why, thank you. I learned from the best."

Juushiro chuckled. "Do you ever stop playing?" he asked wryly.

Shunsui shrugged. "Not really." He bounded up the trail, giving Juushiro a grin over his shoulder. "Now come on, I want to see this magical spring of yours!"

Juushiro hurried after him. "Magical?" he inquired curiously.

"You've never seen it frozen, even in the depths of winter, right?" Shunsui asked. Juushiro nodded in confirmation, and Shunsui continued, "So, it's magical. I don't know what else would keep a spring flowing, unless it was a hot spring, and you said that wasn't it."

Juushiro's eyes narrowed. "I never thought about it like that," he said slowly. "I've never detected a trace of reiatsu around it, so it can't be a normal kido." He glanced around at the silent forest. Somewhere in the distance, a bird chirped, and was answered by the chattering of a squirrel. A hawk circled slowly through the sky high above them. Other than that, nothing moved. He cast out his senses, honed by his years of Academy training, in a hunt for any trace of foreign energy.

For a moment, he thought that he could detect a trace of alien reiatsu, but it slipped away before he could identify it. _It must have been my imagination_ , he decided. _Nothing can conceal their presence that thoroughly_. Besides, he and his siblings had played in these woods for years. If anything dangerous inhabited them, they surely would have seen some sign of its presence by now.

He said as much to Shunsui, who shrugged. "So maybe it's partially fed by a hot spring," he suggested. "You're right; if someone was casting a kido spell on the spring, you surely would have sensed it by now."

Juushiro nodded. "The only kido-capable people for miles around here are my parents, anyway," he pointed out. "And I know they don't have anything to do with it." While they maintained small warming spells to ensure that the village well and the well that fed their estate remained liquid throughout the winter, those kidos were easy to detect. If something of the sort had been cast on the spring, he would have noticed.

Eventually the trail narrowed and the footprints turned around. Both Juushiro and Shunsui leapt into the air with shunpo, striding over the top of the snow that packed the path. Air-walking often felt like balancing on a shaky, narrow plank of wood, but it wasn't too hard. Experienced users of shunpo could treat the air just like solid ground, bouncing off of it instead of descending all the way to the ground to take their next step. Neither Shunsui nor Juushiro were quite that capable, but a careful application of shunpo energies allowed them to bound over, instead of through, the snow.

With their speed fueled by flashstep, they reached the spring in under a bell. The small pool glittered in the sunlight as the surrounding trees cast dappled shadows over its surface. Smooth rocks surrounded its edge, as if they had been placed there by an unseen designer. The water was clear enough to see all the way to the bottom. Small pebbles lined the sandy floor, sprinkled among the water plants stretching towards the surface. A few leaves floated in the placid water, but no fish swam in its depths.

Juushiro smiled softly. "We'd come here almost every afternoon during the summer, when I was little," he told Shunsui quietly. "We could spend bells here, playing at being soul reapers or dragons or brave adventurers." He glanced around at the idyllic clearing. "It always felt so… tranquil here," he explained. Then he chuckled wryly. "Though I suppose our games didn't do much to maintain that peace." He had many fond memories of playing with his siblings in and around the spring. It was large enough to splash around in, when the weather was warmer, and they had taken full advantage of that. _Though Mother never approved of us coming home covered in mud, we did it anyway_.

Shunsui rested an arm around Juushiro's shoulders, and the slender student leaned into him. "It's gorgeous," he murmured. "Thank you for taking me out here." Juushiro rested his head against Shunsui's shoulder and let his eyes fall closed. The serenity which always permeated the place seeped into his bones, soothing away his worries. As he had grown older, he had visited the spring often by himself, purely to experience that calm.

 _You know, maybe Shunsui is right_ , he thought to himself dreamily. _Such tranquility cannot be wholly natural. Though it doesn't appear to be inimical, so I'm not too worried_. Even if he had been, the aura of the spring would have washed away those cares.

Shunsui, too, appeared to be affected by the strange peace. He drew Juushiro's back against his chest, wrapping his arms about the white-haired student's torso, and sighed. "I see why you like this place," he told Juushiro sleepily. "It feels like I could take a nap, right here." He hid a yawn with his hand, eyelids sinking lower and lower.

Juushiro tipped his head to the side to look up at the taller student, a trace of alarm winding its way through his consciousness. _Is it just me, or does it feel much more peaceful than usual?_ he wondered slowly. _This isn't normal_. He and his siblings had certainly quarreled less at the spring, but the calm never lulled them into sleep. _Or is it just that Shunsui got woken up at an unusually early bell, and is tired from that?_ Juushiro smiled wryly. His roommate could stay up all night, partying and carousing without a care in the world, but wake him up before nine bells and he was a basket case.

"Flower child, that would not be a good idea," a deep voice intoned. It rang through the clearing like a bell – no human throat could produce those tones. Both Shunsui and Juushiro jolted upright, hands groping futilely for the zanpakutos that they'd left back at the house. Juushiro summoned kido fire into his hands, glancing around frantically for the source of the strange voice. _What the hell is it?_ he thought worriedly, calling more power into his palms. I thought these woods were safe! Now he regretted the decision – so logical at the time – to leave their weapons behind. _After all, we were only going for a short hike. There aren't even any dangerous animals this close to the estate; nothing should have gone wrong_. He grimaced. Clearly, something had.

The voice chuckled. "Put away your fires, ocean child," it ordered calmly. "You would not want to harm this ancient forest, now would you?"

"Show yourself," Juushiro called, forcing his voice to remain steady. "Who are you?" _Or maybe a better question would be, what are you?_ He wracked his brain for stories of creatures that spoke in the voice of the bells, and came up blank. _It's not a hollow, or we'd already be dead_ , he thought rapidly. _For that matter, no matter what it is, if it wanted to kill us, it would have attacked already_. He frowned. _So it can't mean us harm_. He cautiously damped his fires, keeping the incantation running through his mind just in case the creature did prove hostile.

Movement across the spring caught his eye. He blinked furiously as the shadows blurred and shifted unnaturally. A gentle wind sprang up out of nowhere, redolent of foreign spices and burning wood, and circled around them.

"Come on out," Shunsui called, squinting across the pond. He held his hands in a defensive posture, sparkles of kido dancing around them.

The voice sighed gustily. "You, too, flower child. Damp your flames lest you injure the land about you."

Shunsui grimaced, but did as ordered. Absorbing the kido energy back into his skin, he spread his hands wide. The voice laughed. "So fearful, both of you. There's no need for that." The wind picked up, whirling around the clearing. The shadows on the far side of the bank rippled, shook, and opened.

Out of the fissure paced a creature with the head of a dragon and the body of deer, albeit one covered in scales. Miniature flames danced along its crest and spine, flowing through its long mane and tail. A shimmering horn curved backwards over its neck, also wreathed in fire. Long, feathery hair flowed from its tail and ankles. It emanated an aura of serenity, powerful enough to make both Shunsui and Juushiro sway where they stood, and was wreathed by the scent of burning incense.

As it treaded forward, Juushiro noticed that its hooves hovered an inch off of the unkempt grass. It lowered its head to the pond, dipping its horn in the crystalline waters, which flashed silver. When it raised its horn, the spring radiated the same kind of energy that the creature did.

Shunsui swallowed hard. "That's, um…" he stuttered. "That's a…"

"Kirin," Juushiro supplied in an awed tone. "I thought…" He cut himself off. Announcing to the incredibly powerful magical being in front of him that he had thought they were just myths seemed like a bad plan. _Though if they have the powers that they're reputed to, he can probably read my mind_. Juushiro summoned thoughts of rolling ocean waves crashing on the beach, and steadfastly focused on that image.

Shunsui gulped. "Yeah," he muttered, almost inaudibly. "Well, that explains why your spring never freezes, I guess," he whispered to Juushiro. "If he – she? – lives around here, it would make sense, right? Though I don't know why he, or she, or…" he bowed low to the kirin, "would be here." He licked his lips, fingers toying nervously with the hem of his sleeves. "But, you know…" Juushiro stepped hard on his foot. Shunsui bit back a yelp, and, to Juushiro's relief, shut his mouth. _Let's not annoy the creature who could turn us into ash without a second thought, shall we?_ he told his friend silently.

The kirin, who had been watching their discussion with a patient look in his golden eyes, chuckled again. "Mortals," it observed kindly. "Your kind is so blind to the world around you, though you both see more than most." It took several slow steps forward, walking nonchalantly over the surface of the spring. The water dipped slightly beneath its hooves as it paced forward as if it walked along a path strewn with rose petals.

Shunsui and Juushiro exchanged nervous glances, but held their ground as the kirin approached. "What do we do?" Shunsui whispered out of the corner of his mouth, eyes fixed firmly on the creature who, without any evidence of reiatsu use, strolled casually across a pond. "What do we do?"

Juushiro shrugged helplessly. _I have no idea_ , he thought, abandoning his image of the lonely ocean shore as useless. _Wait and see what it wants from us, I guess_. The myths about the kirin said that they only appeared in lands ruled by a wise and benevolent ruler, and usually only showed themselves at momentous times. They were thought to be omens of good luck and prosperity. _But no one ever hinted that they, themselves, had seen one_ , Juushiro mused. _It's said that they punish the wicked and protect the pure at heart – I don't think either of us fit into either category_. So why had a kirin appeared now? _It can't be coincidence; we played at this spring for years without seeing so much as a scale_.

The kirin stopped a foot away from the edge of the pond, fixing its caramel gaze on the two young men. It tossed its head, sending flames dancing down its silvery mane in waves of sparks, before staring directly at Shunsui. He gulped. "Relax, flower child," the kirin advised. It took another step forward, planting its front hooves on the bank.

"Um, kirin-sama?" Shunsui asked tentatively. "Why do you call me that?"

The kirin tipped its head down. "Because it's what you are," it replied. Though the bell-like ringing of its voice concealed its emotions, Juushiro thought he could detect a trace of amusement in its tone. "Flower child, child of madness and ashes, you are all of these." It flicked its horn at Juushiro. "Just as your companion is born of the waves and the crackle of lightning, you have inherited the power of the wind."

Shunsui bowed reverently to the kirin, spreading his hands as he rose. "I'm sorry, kirin-sama, but I don't understand," he murmured.

"You will, soon enough," the kirin replied, a definite note of amusement in its tone now. Juushiro's eyes narrowed. _Born of waves and lightning_ , he mused. _That… makes sense, for me at least_. The first part resonated with the landscape he had seen in his inner world, at any rate. _But what about Shunsui? Flowers, madness, ashes, and wind?_ He studied his friend out of the corner of his eye; the other student's cheeks were pale and his hands trembled. _Is he shaken because he does understand, or because he doesn't?_

Shunsui took a cautious step forward, hiding his hands in his sleeves. "Kirin-sama, why are you here?" he asked guardedly. Juushiro could sense his tension in the flux of his reiatsu, but Shunsui's voice remained level.

The kirin bowed its head, pawing at the earth. The flames running down its back flickered violently, flaring before they settled back into calmer patterns. "There is something that is disturbing the patterns of energy all across the land," it said finally, switching its gaze between Juushiro and Shunsui. "I do not know what it is, or where to find it, only that it exists." It heaved a windy sigh. "It disturbs my rest and stirs up things better left sleeping for all eternity."

Juushiro bit his lip. "Excuse me, kirin-sama, but are you asking us to find this thing for you?" he asked carefully.

"It will find you," the kirin replied obscurely. "That much, I can sense." The flames along its back flared blue for a moment, then receded back into ruby red.

Shunsui raised his hand slightly, as if waiting for a sensei to call on him. The kirin snorted, but nodded in his direction. Shunsui flashed it a charming grin, and asked, "Kirin-sama, can you tell us anything more about this thing, or the disturbance it's creating?" _Good question_ , Juushiro thought dryly. _Are we being sent off on a wild goose chase here?_

The kirin shook its head slowly. "You do not have the sight to see it, or the wisdom to comprehend it," he informed Shunsui coolly. "But I can tell you this much. The artifact's presence has permeated the land for decades, and tastes of spilled blood and burnt flesh." It bared long, sharp fangs in distaste. Both Shunsui and Juushiro shrank back from the menacing expression, but the kirin closed its mouth and continued, "But now it has grown louder. It cries out in the night, seeking something that I do not know. If not dealt with shortly, its cries will awaken horrors that have slept peacefully for millennia." The kirin's tone dropped lower at that dire pronouncement, booming through the clearing. The breeze that had accompanied it swept through the grass again, chilling Juushiro to the bone. He shivered, wrapping his arms tightly around his torso.

"Kirin-sama," he asked politely, "Why us? Why not ask someone else?"

The kirin lowered his head, giving Juushiro a wonderful view of the wickedly-sharp tip of its horn. "For one thing," it replied dryly, "you two are the only ones who have entered my domain with sufficient power to attempt such a thing. For another…" It trailed off, tilting its head towards Shunsui. "You, flower child, are peculiarly well-suited to such a task."

Shunsui's mouth dropped open. "What?" he blurted out. Remembering his manners, he added quickly, "Kirin-sama, what do you mean?"

The kirin snorted hotly. Juushiro could feel its breath wash over him in a wave of warmth that somehow tasted like freshly baked bread. _That doesn't really answer my question_ , he realized, as the kirin regarded Shunsui consideringly. _It could have informed my parents of this problem; they're certainly more powerful than either of us_. He paused. _Or at least, they are at the moment_. The kirin appeared to be referring to the powers of their zanpakuto, and a shikai release could change everything. _But we're years away from achieving that sort of power_ , he mused. Most shinigami spent years in a division before learning the name of their zanpakuto. _Though, Gorou Shiba achieved shikai as a sixth-year. So maybe we can too_.

Shunsui shifted uncomfortably under the kirin's penetrating gaze, until it finally spoke. "Listen to your heart," it advised cryptically. "The answers are all there; you're just not listening."

Shunsui flinched. "Yes, kirin-sama," he replied, an odd note of fear in his voice. Juushiro sent him a concerned glance, and he shook his head. Juushiro nodded minutely. _You don't have to explain_ , he told his friend silently. _But if you need help, I'm here for you_. He tried to infuse that feeling into his reiatsu, wrapping a reassuring tendril around Shunsui. His roommate gave him a grateful smile, then turned his attention back to the kirin. "But, kirin-sama," he started, "I still don't understand."

"Mortals," the kirin grumbled. "So dense." Neither student took offense at that. _Compared to a creature of legend, we must appear incredibly stupid_ , Juushiro thought sardonically. The kirin exhaled heavily. "You, flower child, have a spark of light in your heart that you must not allow to die," it explained impatiently. "Darkness wreathes your spirit in anguish; the light in your heart flickers." It bared its teeth. "If you let it consume you, you will twist the currents of this land beyond recognition with your power," it warned. "For, make no mistake, you will have power." It turned its massive head towards Juushiro. "As will you, ocean child. But you do not stand on a precipice." It turned back to Shunsui. "Not like you. Nurture that seed of light, and you will be one of the greatest warriors of hope that this land has known. Smother it, and you will plunge the land into despair." Shunsui stifled a gasp.

Juushiro's eyes narrowed. _That all sounds very pretty_ , he told the kirin silently, not caring if it heard him. _But it also sounds like something out of a play. Prophecies like that don't exist in real life_. He knew Shunsui, and the playful student wasn't in any danger of turning evil. _At least, I don't think so_. He glanced over at his friend, who swayed on his feet like he was about to faint. His skin had blanched to a ghastly white, and his hands clutched desperately at his kimono sleeves. _You're not about to become some sort of demon_ , he told his roommate silently. _You're nothing like Shiba, and I wouldn't even call him evil. Just misguided, arrogant, and cruel_. Shunsui had none of those traits.

Either the kirin truly could read his thoughts, or his expression gave them away, for it snorted. "Ocean child, cease your skepticism for a moment," it commanded. "What does your own heart tell you?" If a dragon's expression could turn sly, this one's did. "Or, rather, what do the spirits inside your heart say?"

Juushiro blinked, taken aback. _Um, they're not speaking to me right now_ , he thought foolishly, before grimacing. _Of course, I could always ask them_. Though he wasn't sure how to go about doing so.

Summoning up a vision of the ocean shore within his inner world, he thought as hard as he could, _Um, excuse me for the impoliteness of this request, but I don't know your name, and thus cannot address you properly_. Or would that be names? No, a zanpakuto only had one name. He shook his head, dismissing the question. _Anyway, the kirin wants me to know what you think of its prophecy. If you would be so kind, would you answer its question?_

 _So formal_ , a voice chuckled in the depths of his mind. _That's really not necessary, you know_.

 _Though you really must learn our name_ , another voice added dryly.

 _Ah, my apologies_ , he replied in bemusement. _Perhaps, if you would tell me your name?_ He knew it was unlikely, but he had to ask.

 _We are telling you; you're just not listening_ , the first voice informed him severely.

Juushiro blinked. While the answer made no sense, he could tell that arguing with the zanpakuto spirits would be futile. Instead, he resisted the urge to bow, and said politely, _I'll do my best to listen harder, then_.

 _See that you do_ , the second voice responded.

The first voice laughed. _But that's not what you wanted to talk to us about, is it?_

Juushiro shook his head, receiving an odd look from Shunsui. _No, it's not. If it's not too much to ask, would you tell me what you think about the kirin's_ … He paused. _Quest for us?_ he finished slowly. Quest might not have been the right word, but he couldn't think of a better one.

His zanpakuto chuckled in unison. _It sounds like fun_ , they informed him happily. _You should do it!_ Then they sobered. _But the kirin is right_ , the first voice told him seriously. _There is something amiss out there, and its voice echoes even in here. If we can hear it, so can many others_.

Juushiro grimaced and opened his eyes. "They believe you," he informed the kirin dryly. _Though I still don't believe that we are the only two capable of solving this problem_. Then he sighed. _Then again, we're already on the hunt for the bastard who summoned those hollows, as well as Yukio, whoever that is. Might as well add a strange, reishi-warping item to the list of things to track down_.

The kirin nodded regally. "Of course they do. They can hear it as well."

Shunsui jolted. "Wait, what? They can?" His hand twitched at his side as he restrained himself from grabbing for a nonexistent hilt, and his reiatsu sparked wildly.

Juushiro shrugged. "That's what they told me, at least."

Shunsui shivered, wrapping his arms around his chest. "That's a disturbing thought," he muttered. Juushiro nodded in agreement.

The kirin stomped its hoof on the air. "Enough of this," it chimed impatiently. "Flower child, listen to your heart," it ordered. "Master your own powers, and let your heart guide you. The tangled web caused by this artifact is a snarled mess, a cat's cradle of monstrous proportions, and must be undone." Its head swung to face Juushiro. "Care for him, ocean son," it commanded. "Let your light be a guiding beacon." It snorted, and added, "And stop overthinking everything."

Juushiro bowed deeply to the kirin. "Yes, kirin-sama," he replied respectfully. Shunsui followed suit with a similar murmur.

The kirin nodded to them both. "Travel lightly, flower child, ocean child," it told them. Shunsui and Juushiro watched in silence at the kirin reared, pivoting on its hind feet before darting off into the shadows with the grace of a deer. The gentle breeze spun once around the clearing, then followed. Within seconds, only the lingering scent of incense signaled that the kirin had ever been there.

Shunsui shook himself all over and shivered. "Now that was weird," he breathed shakily. His mouth twisted, and he opened it to say more, only to close it abruptly. Juushiro gave him a questioning look. "It's nothing," Shunsui muttered, shaking his head.

Juushiro lifted an eyebrow. "Are you sure?" he asked gently. "You're shaking."

Shunsui looked down at himself in surprise. "Oh," he murmured dazedly. "I guess I am."

Juushiro wrapped an arm around his shoulders, pulling him close. Shunsui sank gratefully into the embrace, clutching Juushiro fiercely. The pale student ran his fingers through Shunsui's hair, murmuring, "It'll be okay." He hated seeing his friend like this; it felt unnatural. _Shunsui should be smiling and laughing, not a breath away from a panic attack_. Yet his reiatsu shivered violently, laced with fear and old heartache. _What brought this on?_ Juushiro wondered as he continued to hold Shunsui, wrapping his reiatsu around his friend in a comforting blanket. _He was fine until the kirin started its wild prophecies_. Juushiro's hold on Shunsui tightened. "Don't believe the kirin," he told the shaken student calmly. "You're not standing on a precipice, or any of that nonsense."

Shunsui swallowed hard. "You sure?" he asked with an approximation of his usual sense of humor. "Because I think it might have been right, at least a little." Juushiro opened his mouth to reply, and Shunsui shook his head. "But that's not really what's bothering me." He grimaced. "I know that I'm hardly a saint," he informed Juushiro dryly. "I accepted that a long time ago." He flashed Juushiro a mischievous grin, and added cheerfully, "Besides, if I was a saint, I'd have to give up the lovely ladies, as well as sake, and I don't think I'd survive." Juushiro firmly squashed the pang of jealousy that arose when Shunsui mentioned his female companions, and the irrepressible student continued, "But like I said, that part didn't bother me that much."

When he hesitated, Juushiro asked quietly, "So what did?"

Shunsui lifted his head and eyed Juushiro soberly. Taking a deep breath, he explained, "The part about what our zanpakuto spirits can hear." He glanced down. "I think…" He hesitated, then blurted out in a rush, "I think my zanpakuto can let me hear the crying as well."

Juushiro froze. "Are you sure?" he asked cautiously. "What makes you say that?" His own zanpakuto hadn't mentioned anything of the sort.

Shunsui sighed unhappily. "It's just a dream I had last night," he muttered. "Maybe it's nothing." The muscles in his back tensed under Juushiro's fingers, contradicting his statement.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Juushiro asked tentatively.

Shunsui shook his head firmly. "Not right now, at least." His arms tightened around Juushiro before reluctantly letting go. "I'd rather just return to your home now, if that's alright with you."

The hesitance in his normally brash voice made Juushiro wince. "Of course that's alright," he reassured his friend gently. "If you change your mind, and want to talk about it, I'm here." Sometimes talking didn't help, but Juushiro had plenty of experience being a confidant. If Shunsui chose to confide in him, he could provide a willing ear, if nothing else.

Shunsui grinned briefly at him. "Thanks."

Juushiro returned the smile as they started the trip back home, leaping over the drifts of snow with ease. _It'll be alright_ , he told Shunsui silently. _We'll figure this out together_.

* * *

 **Author's Note** : I apologize for the lateness of this chapter; I hope its length makes up for it! As always, shoutout to my lovely reviewers: Sakaiya, speedfanatic05, and EmpressSaix!

I've been rewatching some of the Winter War episodes, and I was wondering, does anyone else want to scream at Kubo for how he wrote Orihime? She's got a shield that can resist basically any attack, yet she never uses it. Time and time again, she'll be an inch away from death, only to be saved by someone else. I think I can count on one hand the number of times she actually uses that shield effectively, despite how incredibly useful it could be. And her ability to reverse anything? That makes you a terrifying combatant – reverse the polarity of the molecules inside your enemy's body, bring back prior injuries, reverse the consistency of the ground beneath their feet... the possibilities are basically endless. Yet she never does anything but heal, and often needs to be reminded to do so. She could be so badass! And yet Kubo turned her into a shrinking violet. Anyone else get frustrated with that?


	18. For Remembrance, As A Reminder

**Chapter 18: For Remembrance, As A Reminder**

Counter to what Shunsui had told Juushiro, the kirin's statements about his potential for darkness preyed on his mind throughout the evening. As he lay in bed that night, he wondered, _Am I really that bad? Could I really be that close to turning to the dark side?_ He had to snort at his melodramatic phrasing. _So, maybe not the dark side_ , he admitted mentally. _But how close am I to turning into someone like Shiba?_

Though his first instinct was to deny the charge outright, he forced himself to analyze his behavior over the past several months, and cringed. _I haven't exactly been behaving like a noble, have I?_ he thought to himself glumly. _Drinking on duty, flirting with Mika instead of paying attention to my surroundings_ … He winced. "Oh, Mika, I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I hope your spirit finds peace somewhere."

The urge to drown his guilt in sake welled up, but he firmly suppressed it. _If I go down that road, I'm just fulfilling the kirin's prophecy_ , he told himself coldly. _Besides, it doesn't really help anything_. He'd tried to lose himself in alcohol many times, and only ended up with a killer hangover. His mouth twisted wryly. _It feels good when I'm drinking, but the morning after isn't worth it_. And he had no desire to end up kneeling in a garden again, cradling a naked blade in bleeding hands.

 _Well, at least you've realized that much_ , a feminine voice informed him tartly.

Shunsui jolted upright. The blankets fell around him in a tangle as he hissed, "What the hell?" Beside him, Juushiro stirred in his sleep, and Shunsui froze. When the slender student settled down again, he relaxed, and asked mentally, _Why are you talking to me now?_

The woman snickered at him. _Because you're finally using that brain of yours for more than wallowing in guilt_ , she told him sardonically. _And good behavior should be rewarded_.

 _You make me sound like I'm a pet_ , Shunsui grumbled subvocally.

 _Who says that you're not?_ she pointed out. He rolled his eyes. Arguing with himself was one thing; he tried to avoid it, but occasionally it happened. Arguing with his zanpakuto was becoming a far too common occurrence.

Apparently she could hear the thoughts that he didn't deliberately verbalize, for she snickered. _Oh, shut up_ , Shunsui grumbled mentally, flopping back down on his cot. He pulled the blankets over his head, feeling a bit like a child hiding from the monsters under the bed, and heaved a sigh. _You're not helping_. He firmly shut his eyes, determined to get at least a few bells of sleep that night.

 _Shunsui, you really should start listening_ , the woman mused, sounding exasperated.

He opened his eyes again, ready to snap at her, and gasped. He stood in a dark, cavernous hall, paneled in stained oak wood and bare of furniture or ornament. The planed wood of the floor chilled his bare toes. Yet he could feel the blankets wrapped around his body and the stone floor pressing against his shoulder blades. The disturbing overlay of sensation made him shiver.

"Maybe this will encourage you," a feminine voice purred from behind him. Shunsui turned slowly, wary of what he might see. The woman in front of him snickered, and his mouth dropped open. She wore an elaborate bone headpiece in her violet hair, complete with a skull in the center of crossed bones, along with an eyepatch over her right eye. A scarlet collar adorned her neck, tied in a bow in front. The trailing ribbons drew Shunsui's attention to her cleavage, which threatened to burst out of her loose, elaborate kimono. Shunsui gulped as he realized that the front of her ornate outfit formed the shape of a golden skull. _Somehow I don't think she'd appreciate flirtation_ , he thought carefully, forcing his eyes to remain on her face. _Though I guess it'd be weird to flirt with my own zanpakuto, even if she is utterly stunning_. He wrinkled his nose. _I really hope she can't hear me right now_.

Distracted by his idle musings, he didn't notice the simple portrait hanging on the wall behind her until she shifted to the side. "Look," she commanded, gesturing imperiously towards it. His eyes snapped forwards automatically in response to the tone – she sounded just like Shihoin-sensei on a bad day. Then his mouth fell open. He took an involuntary step forward, hand lifting towards the picture.

Mika's cheerful face smiled out at him from a simple wooden frame, sketched in elegant brushstrokes on a plain canvas. She wore the ill-fated pink kimono that now rested at the bottom of his pack, carefully wrapped in a spare gi top. Her wavy chocolate hair draped loosely over her shoulders, in a style that he had only seen a handful of times. "Damn," Shunsui murmured, tracing the delicate line of her shoulders with a careful finger. _What's this doing here?_ He assumed that this strange place was part of his inner world; the senseis always claimed that a person's inner world reflected the truth about their soul. _So why is a picture of Mika here?_

He spun on his heel, determined to get an answer – for once – out of his enigmatic zanpakuto, and practically leaped out of his skin. A young girl clad in plum and lilac had joined the elaborately-costumed woman, somehow materializing without giving any sign of her presence. Her teal eyes gazed at him warily from under vivid amethyst bangs, which fell sideways across her face. A black mask hid the rest of her expression, but he sensed that she wasn't pleased with him.

"Who the hell are you?" Shunsui blurted out rudely, too shocked to moderate his tone.

The girl's one visible eye narrowed, but she didn't reply. The woman laid a proprietary hand on her shoulder, and smirked. "If you can't figure that out for yourself, you don't deserve to know," she informed him haughtily.

 _Blasted, arrogant, stubborn zanpakuto_ , Shunsui cursed mentally, ignoring the possibility that they could hear him. _Can't ever give a straight answer, can they? Would it kill her to actually answer a question for once? But no, she has to be all high and mighty_. The woman snickered, rolling her eyes, while the girl allowed a faint expression of disdain to cross her face. _Yep, they can hear me, alright_ , Shunsui concluded glumly. Then he froze. _Wait. Both of them can hear me?_ He took a closer look at the girl, who balanced on the balls of her feet as though the slightest movement would launch her into fight or flight. The ivory skull decorating her hair, though less ornate, matched the skull that formed the centerpiece of the woman's headdress; the colors of her outfit mirrored those of her companion. _Alright, this doesn't make any sense_.

"Figured it out yet?" the woman taunted, tossing her hair back. Shunsui shook his head mutely. _The only answer I've got is that both of you are somehow my zanpakuto, and that's not possible_. The Academy instructors had drilled them extensively on zanpakuto lore, and one thing was clear: no shinigami had more than one zanpakuto spirit. People might not know where they originated, or why some shinigami could manifest them in awakened forms, but the ratio of one zanpakuto to one shinigami was never in doubt.

The woman – who he assumed was his zanpakuto – snorted. "You mortals are incredibly arrogant. You assume you know so much, yet you know nothing at all."

Shunsui lifted an eyebrow at that. "Excuse me, but aren't you mortal as well? If you're really my zanpakuto spirit, you die when I die, at the very least." _And if you're not my zanpakuto, but some other spirit that has found its way into my head, then I have way more to worry about than I thought_. He shook his head firmly, dismissing the disquieting idea _. Let's just assume that you're both manifestations of my zanpakuto, and leave it at that_. He didn't want to contemplate the alternative.

The corners of the woman's mouth quirked upwards. "Astute observation from such a lazy student," she purred.

"That's a rather backhanded compliment, isn't it?" Shunsui observed dryly, inwardly amused. She hadn't refuted his assertion, which suggested that it was true. That, in turn, made it more likely that the pair in front of him really were his zanpakuto, however illogical that idea sounded. "I'm not stupid – I just prefer to enjoy the finer things in life, and homework does not fall into that category."

Now the girl's visible eye looked disgusted, while the woman chuckled. "On that, at least, we can agree." Her laughter broke off abruptly, and her tone hardened. "But you have allowed that hedonism to rule too much of your life, and you know it." She gestured towards the painting. "Look closely, and tell me what you see."

Shunsui grimaced at her imperious tone. "Yes, ma'am," he muttered, scowling as he turned back to face the portrait. _What am I supposed to be looking for, anyway? It's just a picture of Mika_. Yet he sensed that his zanpakuto was looking for something more.

At last he sighed. "I see a girl who died far too soon, whose death I could have prevented." It felt like a paltry answer, but it was all he had.

To his surprise, the woman nodded. "Good." Then her eyes darkened. "What else?"

"Um..." Shunsui shrugged. "I'm sorry, but I really don't know what you want."

"Still too soon," she muttered, shaking her head in disgust. "Though I suppose I should have expected that." She propped her hands on her hips. "When you have an answer, return here. We'll be waiting." A hint of cruel amusement flickered around the corners of her mouth. "I wouldn't wait too long, though. You might need us soon."

The words, a distorted echo of the kirin's warning, sent shivers down Shunsui's spine. Here in his strange inner world, they tasted of truth, bitter as tears – not a warning, but a prophecy. Yet there was no way… He shook his head. "Thank you, ladies." Pressing his hands together, he offered them both a bow. "Your assistance is appreciated."

The woman's lips quirked, as though she could hear all the other words he'd tried to keep from thinking. "At least you can be polite when it's necessary." She flapped her hand at him as though shooing away a buzzing fly. "Now, go and think, hmm?" She tilted her head to one side. "Oh, and you might want to re-think your single-blade fighting style, too. Might come in handy one day."

And then she was gone. Shunsui glanced around the cavern, unsurprised to see that the little girl, too, had vanished. But the portrait of Mika remained, a silent accusation and a reminder all in one.

The now-familiar feeling of guilt washed over him, making his stomach twist and his throat tighten. He clenched his hands into fists, taking a masochistic enjoyment from the sting, then bared his teeth. _No. Enough_. Anger followed the guilt, a hot surge of lead boiling through his veins. _No more wallowing in useless self-hatred – I have a goal now, a quest, and I won't let anything stand in my way_.

 _And if it all turns out to be a fool's chase after all? If there's no nebulous enemy out there to confront, if her death was solely the result of cruel chance?_

Shunsui shifted uncomfortably at the question, spoken in a voice eerily reminiscent of Juushiro's. "Then…" He took a deep breath. "Then I'll do the best I can to prevent such fates from befalling anyone else. If chance took Mika, then I won't let it take anyone else."

The cavern darkened around him, dissolving around him. "Good," the woman's voice laughed. Darkness rose to claim him, and the sound chased him down into it, merging into his dreams. "Good."

* * *

No skinny body woke Shunsui the next morning; instead, the first rays of sun dragged him out of a restless slumber and left him lying, still unsettled, in his cot. He threw a forearm over his eyes and groaned. _Kami take it, I feel like I spent half the night drinking_. His temples throbbed dully, while his tongue seemed to have sprouted a nasty coating of fur.

His memories, though, remained crystal clear. _Oh, Mika_ … Even the recollection of her portrait provoked a desire for a drink or two – or ten. _Just enough to numb the pain, make it bearable again_ …

He stole a guilty glance at Juushiro, who was curled up under his own blankets like a contented cat. It took no great creativity to imagine his roommate's disappointment should Shunsui go in search of such oblivion; his disapproval would be palpable. _And he wouldn't need any words to do so, either. Just one look of those big green eyes of his_ … A pang shot through Shunsui's heart at the thought.

Stifling another groan, he rolled over and pulled the blanket over his head to block out the sun trickling under the shutters. _So maybe I won't go on a quest for sake after all_. Besides, he'd promised his zanpakuto that he would stop wallowing in guilt, and drowning his sorrows probably fell under the umbrella of 'wallowing.'

 _Probably?_ Acid-flavored laughter rang through his mind.

 _Alright, alright, definitely. So what would you have me do, then?_

Only silence answered him.

When, after several minutes, it became clear that his zanpakuto has subsided back into some corner of his mind, Shunsui groaned and pushed the blankets off of his head. _There's no way I'm getting more sleep at this point, so I might as well get up_.

He regretted that decision the moment his bare feet his the cold wooden boards, but by then it was too late. Hissing and wincing, he tiptoed over to his pack, yanking out the first piece of clothing that came to his hand. Then, with a grimace, put it back – why had he brought a uniform gi with him? They were on vacation, kami curse it!

Thankfully, the next few layers of fabric turned out to be a pair of linen hakama and a simple green kimono decorated with emerald leaves along the hem – far more suitable to wear around the house, though he would need more layers if they went outside again. _Still, for indoor wear, these are perfect_.

He was tying an obi around his waist when a flash of pink from inside his pack caught his eye. Shunsui flinched. He didn't need to pull the garment out to know what it was – that hue was unmistakable. _Kami take it, I thought I left that at home_ …

But the sight of it sparked an idea in his mind. Careful not to wake Juushiro, he slid the door open and slipped out into the hall, padding in stocking-covered feet towards the kitchen.

As he had hoped, Gina was already awake, and in the midst of preparing breakfast. Little Daisuke rested on the countertop next to her, sucking on his thumb as he watched her with wide, curious eyes. None of the other children were in evidence.

An inchoate sense of longing swept over Shunsui as he watched her deftly slice pickles into bite-sized pieces. His own mother would never have set foot in the kitchen, much less laid a hand to a knife – that was a job for a servant, not a member of the Kyoraku family. Nor had she taken care of her young children on her own, again leaving that job to the servants. He had only vague recollections of his time in the nursery, but none of them featured his mother. Instead, a string of interchangeable young women had cared for him until he was old enough to be given over to the private tutors, who had proceeded to rule his life for the next decade.

"Are you going to stand there all day, or do you want to help?" Gina set down the knife and glanced over her shoulder. "It's not hard, I promise."

Shunsui shrugged awkwardly. "If you tell me what to do, I'll do my best," he replied, glancing dubiously at the food spread out over the tables. "But I can't promise it'll be any good."

"Anyone can chop vegetables," she told him dryly. "You can finish cutting up the pickles while I cook the fish." Without waiting for his answer, she passed him her knife and grabbed another one from a rack along the wall. "Go on, get started." She gestured towards the cutting board where the pickles lay.

Watching her chop the fish into long strips, Shunsui made a mental note to never get on her bad side. She handled the blade with a confidence that spoke of long familiarity with weapons, and not just in the kitchen. _Didn't Juushiro say something once about her defending the villagers along with her husband?_ Given the latent spirit pressure lurking under her skin, he had no trouble believing that.

A cough from Gina recalled him to his surroundings. "I'm guessing you didn't wake up this early just to help me cook?" She slid the sliced fish into a pan on the kamado and flicked her fingers, sending a kido spark into the charcoal underneath the pan.

Shunsui shook his head. "No, obasan. I…" He hesitated. "I was wondering if you have any scraps of pink cloth or ribbon lying around?"

For a moment, he feared that she would ask him why he wanted such a thing, but she just smiled at him. "I suspect I have something that would fit your needs. Why don't you come with me to the weaving room after we finish preparing breakfast and we can take a look?"

Shunsui breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, obasan."

She flicked a dish-towel at him. "No need for such formality. And you can thank me by cutting up those pickles!" As she turned back to her own tasks, Shunsui smothered a laugh and bent down to obey.

* * *

When Juushiro woke that morning, he was surprised to find Shunsui already up – he had expected to roust his roommate from his blankets, but Shunsui's cot was empty, blankets left in a tangled heap. A faint smile tugged at Juushiro's lips. _Maybe he's adjusting to the lack of sake here, or maybe it's just the reasonable bedtimes_. Either way, he was pleased to see the change, though he had little hope that Shunsui would maintain the pattern after returning to the Academy. _The lure of parties is simply too strong, I fear_. His lips twitched as he rolled out of bed. _As is the lure of female company_.

Strangely, the thought didn't hurt. Shunsui's flirtatiousness was an integral part of his nature, and Juushiro would hate to see it artificially stifled.

 _And if it goes farther than just flirting?_

Juushiro shook his head at his zanpakuto's question. _I'll deal with that if it happens_. He hesitated as a feeling of curiosity washed over him. _I honestly don't know_. Fidelity was required of noble marriages, in theory, but that was to protect the alliances and investments thereof. And, in truth, it was really only expected of the women in such marriages, in order to ensure the succession of the bloodlines. _Kami forbid that their precious, powerful blood is tainted by that of a commoner with low reiatsu_.

His zanpakuto laughed. _Oh, silly shinigami_ …

Juushiro stiffened. _What do you mean?_ Excitement thrilled through him. Would his zanpakuto be willing to explain some of the mysteries behind the possession of the zanpakuto or the possession of spiritual pressure?

More laughter. _You believe in such silly things, it's a wonder you ever get anything done_.

 _Like?_ Juushiro prompted, forcing his excitement down. _Can you elaborate?_

His zanpakuto giggled in dual, overlapping voices, sounding suddenly childlike. _Nope! Unless_ … Juushiro was reminded of his younger siblings when they were trying to be sly. _Unless… you can hear our name_.

Juushiro shrugged into a forest-green overrobe, tying it firmly about his waist, then sighed. _Will you tell me your name?_

He suspected he already knew the answer to that question, though, and wasn't surprised when twin _Nopes_ reverberated back at him. _You just have to listen_ , a single voice chided, more adult now. _You're not listening properly – we can't do anything unless you're willing to listen_.

 _We_ … Juushiro nodded once, then sank into seiza next to his cot. _So there are two – or more – of you_. He bowed his head, then reached out for the sheathed asauchi resting against the wall. Drawing it and laying it on his lap, he ran his fingers down the blade, careful to avoid the edge. _I promise, I'm listening. Please, speak if you so desire_.

His breathing slowed as he waited, adrenaline in his veins subsiding. _In… out. In… out_. Five seconds for every breath, sinking slowly into a meditative state. He could feel the energy of his zanpakuto drifting around him, redolent with the salty scent of the nearby sea, yet just a hair out of reach. Even as it caressed his skin, it remained tantalizingly distant, the sound of the pounding surf lurking just under conscious hearing range.

He slowed his breathing even further, concentrating on each and every inhale and exhale. Was that a word lurking somewhere in that distant roar? Something about the sound felt familiar, a concept he'd known when he was too young to remember and had since forgotten. The taste of brine lingered on his tongue; his skin tingled as though a ship-killer storm was brewing directly overhead.

And then the sensations receded. Inchoate melancholy swept over him as his zanpakuto sighed. _You're close, but you're still not ready yet_. The dual tones had returned, ringing like bells within his mind. _So close, and yet not close enough_ …

As the last words faded away, Juushiro pulled his eyes back open and exhaled heavily. Close clearly wasn't good enough, but he had no idea what, if anything, he was doing wrong. _Maybe it just isn't the right time? After all, most people don't discover the name of their zanpakuto until they desperately need it – meditation simply isn't the right catalyst_.

That ameliorated the disappointment somewhat, but didn't remove the sting entirely. _I really hoped_ … He shook his head. _No point in crying over lost fish_. He would gain shikai when the moment arose, and not a single moment sooner – and he had a sneaking suspicion that said moment would not be affected by anything within his power. _So there's no reason to fret about it_.

Snagging a cloth from beside his cot, he wiped the blade of his asauchi clean, then resheathed it and stood up. Judging by the light seeping into the room – not to mention the growling in his stomach – it was almost time for breakfast.

The door slid open. "Juu-chan?" Shunsui stepped inside, face unwontedly serious. "Are you…" He smiled when his eyes landed on Juushiro. "Oh good, you're awake."

Juushiro tipped his head to one side as Shunsui slid the door closed behind him, then clasped his hands behind his back. "What's up?" Judging by the agitated reiatsu dancing around his roommate, something was bothering him, but the underlying core of energy was more stable than Juushiro had seen in weeks. _Since Mika's death, in fact_ …

Shunsui shifted his weight from foot to foot, then turned slightly sideways. Juushiro's eyes widened at the sight of the strip of pink cloth wrapped around Shunsui's bicep, tied with the sort of simple, elegant knot usually used for mourning bands. But those were always white, not pink. _Still_ … "Shunsui?"

"Yes." Turning back to face Juushiro fully, Shunsui offered him a shadow of his usual grin. "It's a… reminder, I suppose you could say. A reminder, and a promise." He nodded once, grey eyes dark. Reiatsu surged around him, then sank back into quiescence, leaving the scent of plum blossoms lingering in the air.

Juushiro was tempted to inquire about that promise, but held his tongue. Shunsui would share that information when he was ready, and pushing him would do nothing but damage the fragile bonds between them. So he smiled instead. "Does it help?"

Shunsui took a few steps into the room, shoulders relaxing. "Yes. I think so, at least." A true smile flickered over his face. "I promise I won't mope around so much, anyway."

Juushiro bit his lip to keep from laughing. "I'm not sure that's what you were doing…" Shunsui had certainly exhibited bouts of melancholy, but mostly, he had acted even more recklessly than usual, as though he needed constant stimulation to keep from thinking.

Shunsui shrugged, eyes locked on Juushiro, then bowed his head. "No, you're right." His smile faded. "I wasn't exactly acting like a responsible shinigami, was I?"

Juushiro hesitated at the odd note in Shunsui's tone. _Is he asking about now, or about the night Mika died? Either way, though_ … He sighed, then held out a hand to his roommate. "No, you weren't," he murmured, tangling his fingers with Shunsui's.

With his free hand, Shunsui reached up to cup Juushiro's cheek. "That'll change now, I promise," he whispered, lips hovering an inch above Juushiro's.

"Good," Juushiro murmured back, arching up to capture Shunsui's mouth. After a long, tender moment, he pulled away. "Good."

Shunsui grinned and tugged at Juushiro's hair, startling a little gasp from the pale student. "Of course, I can't promise to behave all the time…" He nipped at Juushiro's lower lip. "That'd be boring."

"You are incorrigible," Juushiro laughed. _And I'm glad_. He was happy – relieved, even – to see the changes to Shunsui's reiatsu, as it no longer carried the worryingly fragile edge that had marred it for weeks. But his roommate hadn't changed his essential nature, either, which was even more of a relief. _A completely sober, responsible Shunsui? I'd wonder what sort of compulsion the kirin put on him. But this? This is the sort of change that's very healthy_.

Shunsui beamed at him, claiming one more kiss, then disengaged. "I don't suppose your family has an armory of some sort? I have an…" He hesitated, then shrugged. "Let's call it an experiment I want to try."

Juushiro gave his friend a dry look. "We may not be that high in the noble ranks, but I assure you, we do have a proper dojo and armory." He lifted an eyebrow. "What's this experiment?"

Shunsui grinned and looped his arm through Juushiro's elbow. "I'll explain once we're there. Lead the way!"

"After breakfast," Juushiro retorted, pulling Shunsui towards the door. "I don't know about you, but I'm hungry!"

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Shoutout to CorinneKei, EmpressSaix, and speedfanatic05 for their lovely reviews! And shoutout to everyone out there who wants strong female characters, diverse female characters, not the helpless damsels in distress that Kubo seems to love to give us. As EmpressSaix pointed out, Nanao – along with most of the women in the Soul Society – gets the same treatment as Orihime, as well as far less screen time, which is just disappointing. So, shoutout to all the writers out there who refuse to fall into the same trap!


	19. Niten Ichi-ryū

**Chapter 19:** **Niten Ichi-ryū**

Shunsui ran his hands over the small collection of blades in the Ukitake family's armory, studying them critically. Several katanas, hilts worn but well-tended, shared the space with a collection of wakizashi, tekkan, and hachiwari. He immediately disregarded the dull, heavy tekkan, which were perfect for smashing through armor but were too heavy to use in combat against hollows. The same went for the hachiwari, though the hook near the hilt might have come in handy for slicing through hollow masks. But both the katanas and wakizashis had promise.

"We've got a few more exotic weapons somewhere, but this is the bulk of the collection," Juushiro observed from behind him. The slender student leaned against the wall, hand resting casually on the hilt of his asauchi. He wore old, well-mended clothes, perfect for a hard workout. "I'm afraid we don't have much; not like your family surely has."

Shunsui shook his head firmly. "What you have is fine." He flashed a grin at his friend. "Besides, if I showed my face at my family's estate right now, they'd probably dump a chamber pot on me before sending me packing." He wrinkled his nose. "And I'd much prefer to avoid that." He would have to face his family at some point, but he could postpone that awkward reunion until summer, at the earliest.

Juushiro strolled over to his side, joining him in his inspection. "We try to keep them in good condition, even though I don't think anyone has used half of these in years. My siblings, or at least the ones who want to learn to fight, all have their own blades, though we all practiced with these until we earned them." He smiled softly, running his hand over one of the katanas. "I used this for years before finally getting my own katana." He handed the blade to Shunsui with an expectant look.

The flamboyant student ran a finger over the leather grip. "It's not a bad weapon," he mused, before setting it back down. "But not quite what I'm looking for." He picked up another katana, studying the x-shaped guard before returning it to the rack. "What'd you have to do to earn your own blade?" he inquired curiously as he hefted a wakizashi.

Juushiro shrugged. "Mostly prove to Father that we were going to be safe with it, though if Mother wasn't convinced that we were responsible, we didn't get it." He chuckled. "I would have gotten mine sooner if not for a few ill-timed escapades with my siblings. But after we got permission, we'd go down to the village blacksmith and help him make a blade suited to our preferred fighting style." Touching the hilt of a wakizashi with his fingertips, he shook his head, then continued, "I gave my blade to Kaoru when I left for the Academy, since they give us all asauchis. The village blacksmith is excellent, but he can't forge zanpakuto-quality weapons."

Shunsui tipped his head to the side. "But we know now that that shouldn't matter," he pointed out, hesitating over a katana before passing on. "Sato didn't have an asauchi, but he definitely has a zanpakuto now, and remember those records we found?" Scattered mentions in old chronicles of other commoners with zanpakuto had destroyed any faith he had in the wisdom of their instructors at the Academy when it came to this particular topic. _I don't suppose you'd want to enlighten me_ , he called mentally without much hope. Echoing silence was his only response.

He shrugged and picked up the last wakizashi. Unlike the others, this one felt right in his hand. He took a few practice swings, stepping away from the small weapons' rack. Juushiro took a few prudent steps backward as Shunsui's motions grew more exuberant. "You know, you never told me why you wanted to try another weapon," he noted, emerald eyes watching critically as Shunsui moved into the first zanjutsu kata.

Shunsui whirled the blade through the simple butterfly that began the form, before stepping back into guarded leaning stance with the blade held over his head. As he lunged forward in a textbook stop-thrust, he replied, "It's just something my zanpakuto said. She thinks I should try it, but she won't tell me why. I've got a guess, though." He spun the blade over his head, twisting in a full circle before flicking the wakizashi down to his side. His chest heaved as he bowed crisply, sheathing the sword at his side.

"Very nice," Juushiro applauded, admiring his friend's feline grace as Shunsui began one of their newest kata. Unlike most of the lower-level forms, which emphasized crisp, rapid motions, this one focused on slow, liquid movements. Deceptively simple, it forced the student to maintain perfect control over their blade at all times. Shunsui swung the wakizashi up into the first guard of the form, and Juushiro asked, "If you don't mind the question, why do you think your zanpakuto wants you to work with a different sword?"

Shunsui's eyes narrowed as he slid carefully into a low horse stance, bringing the blade in an arcing circle before swinging it up in a graceful, slow-motion chop. "Not a different one, really; she wants me to work with both blades," he explained as he settled into another leaning stance. The achingly slow motion made his muscles ache, but he forced the wakizashi to remain perfectly level as he spun in a half circle. "She's a weird spirit, wouldn't tell me much." But surely it had something to do with the young girl at her side. _If my zanpakuto really takes the form of two women, does that mean that she's supposed to be two blades, as well?_ He flowed into the last moves of the kata before grounding his blade and wiping away the droplets of sweat trickling down his forehead.

Juushiro hesitated, then walked over to him. Biting his lip, he asked in a low voice, "Does your zanpakuto talk to you with two voices?" His fingers nervously tapped the hilt of his own zanpakuto as he glanced down.

Shunsui frowned. "Not… exactly," he said slowly. "Why do you ask?" Juushiro's emerald eyes widened, then narrowed, and Shunsui asked, "Does yours?" It felt strange, almost sacrilegious, to talk about their zanpakuto spirits; the Academy instructors always forbade such discussion. _But if I can't trust Juushiro, then I can't trust anyone_ , he reasoned. His zanpakuto didn't appear to object to the topic, at least.

The pale student glanced around before nodding. "At first I thought that I only heard one voice, but the first time I visited my inner world, something didn't sound quite right. I eventually realized that I was hearing two voices, speaking in unison." He smiled self-deprecatingly. "At least, that's what I think I'm hearing, but I haven't seen my zanpakuto spirit yet. I could just be imagining it. Though they did use the word 'we' recently…"

"I have," Shunsui blurted out, an image of the stunning, deadly woman rising in his mind. He could feel his zanpakuto's amusement at the characterization, and snorted. _You know it's true_ , he told her.

 _I'm not arguing with that_ , she replied coolly.

He shrugged and turned his attention back to Juushiro, who looked puzzled. "I mean, I've seen my zanpakuto," he explained. Juushiro's eyes widened. "She, well, she…" He stuttered to a stop, searching for the words to describe her. "She's beautiful," he finally managed, lifting his hands in the air. "Beautiful, but deadly. Utterly terrifying. But the strange thing is, she's not alone. I've been hearing her voice for a while, but I've never heard another spirit talk." He frowned. _Come to think of it, I didn't actually hear another voice last night, either_. "But when she showed up, a young girl appeared with her." He shivered overdramatically, provoking Juushiro's fond chuckle. "If anything, the girl's even scarier than the woman who's been talking in my head." _And you don't get to argue with that_ , he informed them both, before they could say anything.

"So that's why you want to try fighting with another blade," Juushiro surmised, nodding slowly.

Shunsui grinned gratefully at him. "Basically. Though it could be an utter disaster; we've never learned anything about dual-wielding weapons." It made sense – shinigami fought with their zanpakuto, and zanpakuto were always one blade. Once someone attained a shikai release, they trained to master its specific quirks, but even shikai releases always took the form of a single weapon. _At least as far as I know_. But Shunsui's zanpakuto seemed to be hinting that he should learn to wield a weapon in both hands, and he wasn't about to argue.

Juushiro shrugged. "I'm sure we can figure something out. Can't your zanpakuto help?" Shinigami who had achieved shikai learned more from their blades than they did from their senseis; zanpakutos were simply too unique to make training easy.

Shunsui groaned, throwing up his hands in disgust. "I can't ask her for anything! She just tells me to figure it out on my own, and says that I'm not listening."

"Mine have made the same comment," Juushiro replied wryly. "I think it's the prerogative of any zanpakuto spirit to be condescending towards their wielder." He paused, eyes distant, then asked delicately, "You said your zanpakuto was female?"

"I know, it's weird," Shunsui replied, flopping down on the dojo floor. No more than one shinigami in a thousand manifested a zanpakuto of a different gender. "At least we do have records of zanpakuto being the opposite gender of their master," he pointed out as he drew his asauchi. It lay inert in his lap; the women had gone totally silent. "I've never heard of anyone with a dual zanpakuto."

Juushiro frowned thoughtfully as he sank into seiza at Shunsui's side. "Me neither," he muttered, nibbling on his lower lip. "But we've already figured out that we're missing a lot of the records surrounding the mysteries of zanpakuto. I almost wonder if someone, at some point, went through and deliberately tried to destroy some of them…" He shook his head. "I would love to get a look at the Kuchiki clan's records at some point, but I suspect that's not likely to happen. Still, I wouldn't be too worried – just because we don't have records of dual-form zanpakuto doesn't mean they're impossible."

Shunsui chuckled. "Well, I think we can pretty clearly rule out 'impossible,' given that both yours and mine could easily have two forms." He prodded the hilt of his asauchi with a finger. _Want to give me a clear answer?_

 _You are truly tedious_ , the woman in his head sighed. _But, if it eases your mind, then yes, we do have a reason to ask you to practice with both blades_. He got the impression she was glaring at him. _Now, I suggest you do so, and stop bothering us_. With that, her presence vanished, but not before sending a shock through his body. Shunsui yelped.

Juushiro's eyebrows flew up. "Are you alright?"

Shunsui hauled himself to his feet. "Just great," he grumbled, halfway tempted to chuck his asauchi into the wall. "Just my zanpakuto thinking that she's hilarious." He picked the wakizashi back up in his left hand, hoisting it thoughtfully.

Juushiro rose as well. "I take it you're still supposed to practice with both of them?" When Shunsui nodded, the pale student smiled. "Then let's get started."

* * *

It was hard work. Over the course of the next bell, Juushiro helped Shunsui redesign several of the basic kata to work with two swords, often redoing entire sections of the form to flow better. Shunsui's arms were soon aching – holding the weight of two blades felt far more difficult than holding one. He hadn't realized exactly how much easier the double-handed grip was on his muscles, especially those in his left arm, which was tiring far more quickly than his right. _I clearly need to practice more_.

But he was cautiously pleased with what they were able to accomplish. The first sword forms were designed to teach young students the basics of swordplay – guards, blocks, and attacks. None of them were identical when using two blades, but some did translate well.

Others, however, had no natural counterpart. The shield block, for instance, wherein the blade was held over the head and angled diagonally downward over the shoulder, looked absolutely foolish when done with a pair of blades. When Juushiro threw a practice swing at the pair, Shunsui's shoulder buckled – there was no way he could sustain such a block against the full force of an attack. Shield blocks were already awkard, with the blade in a reversed position and the arms across the face; add in a second sword and they simply fell apart.

"Could you just use one blade to block, and keep the other out of the way?" Juushiro suggested.

Shunsui swung his asauchi up into that position, then shook his head. "I don't think I have the right leverage. A blow with enough force would drive my own blade into my shoulder without my second hand there to give the block strength."

Juushiro frowned. "Well, you need a way to parry a strike coming downwards at an angle, given how large hollows tend to be." He nibbled on his lower lip. "What if you use a house block with your left hand? Catch the strike and let it slide down, like normal, but keep your right hand free to attack?"

"Maybe…" Shunsui brought the wakizashi up into a diagonal block over his head, keeping the tip pointed towards his right. "It doesn't quite feel right." His right arm simply hung there, useless – if he brought it up too far, he'd risk spearing himself on his own blade, but adding it to the block would bring back the original problem.

Juushiro padded around behind him, readjusting his right arm so the blade was horizontal to the floor, ready to slash or parry. "Is that better?" He took a prudent step backwards, out of arm's reach.

Shunsui tried a few experimental strikes with his right, then swirled his left out of the block into a downwards slash. "Much better!" He beamed at Juushiro. "You're good at this."

"It's easier when you can see the whole picture," the white-haired student demurred, blushing faintly.

"No, really, you're good at this," Shunsui insisted, lowering both of his blades as his shoulders complained at him. "Trust me." If Juushiro hadn't been helping him, he would have had no chance of figuring half of this out, and he knew it.

Juushiro returned Shunsui's smile, then changed the subject. "I think that's everything you need to translate, isn't it? You've got a cross block for overhead strikes, your modified house blocks for the downward diagonal ones, and the doubled parries for lower strikes. Plus, you can always parry with one hand and strike with the other." Trotting over to the side of the room, he picked up his own asauchi. "Ready to try it out in a real sparring match?" Shunsui eyed him dubiously, and he grinned. "We'll go slow, I promise."

Shunsui sighed. "I don't really have a choice, do I?"

"No," Juushiro told him cheerfully, at the same time the woman snapped, _Absolutely not!_

 _You shut up_ , Shunsui snapped. _I'm doing what you want_. Then, as Juushiro gave him a worried look, he groaned theatrically. "Alright, but go easy on me, okay? You can already beat me in two matches out of three, and that's with a weapon I actually know relatively well."

"You'll do fine," Juushiro reassured him, stepping towards the middle of the dojo. Bringing his sword into a proper guard position, he bowed. "Ready?"

Shunsui bowed back. "As ready as I'll ever be."

And thus they began. Juushiro, true to his word, moved as slowly as kuromitsu, black honey, taking his time with each move. Shunsui could see the strikes coming from a mile away, but seeing them was a far cry from blocking them. Time and time again, he scrambled to get his swords into the right position, only to realize that the block was malformed somehow. Sometimes, he ended up accidentally blocking with the edge of one or both blades; other times, he contorted himself into positions that would never hold up against a full-force strike.

The modified shield blocks, in particular, gave him trouble. He could get the cross blocks easily enough, after remembering to turn his wrists so the flat of the blades caught the strike, but the modified shield blocks kept tripping him up. His hands needed to act in unison, yet perform their own unique tasks, and getting both to move to the proper position was starting to give him a headache.

Juushiro, of course, noticed. He wasn't cruel about it, but every third or fourth strike turned into a diagonal slash downwards at Shunsui's neck or collarbone. Shunsui wanted to curse at his roommate for that, but he kept the words clamped behind his teeth. _He's only doing it to help you_ , he reminded himself firmly.

And it was starting to work. Slowly, Shunsui's hands began to grow more comfortable with the odd pair of moves, reaching the proper position more and more smoothly each time. But his muscles were truly screaming at him now, and sweat dripped in a steady stream down his face.

Juushiro, too, was sweating – controlling a blade at such slow speeds was no easy feat either, especially with the plethora of downward strikes that he was throwing.

At last Shunsui took a step backwards and let the points of both swords droop towards the ground. "Enough," he begged. "I need a break."

Juushiro allowed his own blade to relax. "Me too," he admitted. "But you're doing well!"

"It's hard," Shunsui grumbled, flopping down on the floor and mopping sweat away from his forehead. He cast an accusatory glare at Juushiro. "You should try it."

To his surprise, his roommate tipped his head to one side, eyes going distant. Then he nodded once. "Maybe I will."

* * *

Much to Juushiro's suprise, wielding two weapons at once felt almost natural. Nowhere near as comfortable as using both hands for a single blade, of course, but still, not bad. After trying several shorter blades, he'd ended up using the katana that he'd trained with as a child – having both blades be the same length felt somehow right to him.

Maybe that was because of the balance – where Shunsui used the short blade primarily for speed attacks, saving his longer blade for the more powerful finishing blows, Juushiro preferred to be able to use either hand for either type of attack. It gave him more flexibility in his footwork, as well as less predictability.

Fighting with twin katanas was exhausting, though. Barely ten minutes into the practice, Juushiro found himself dripping with sweat, shoulders and biceps aching from the strain of keeping both swords flowing smoothly. His breath burned in his lungs – not a precursor to an attack, not yet, but a gentle warning that one would come if he didn't pace himself carefully.

Swinging his left sword in a circle to parry Shunsui's asauchi, Juushiro scowled. _I can't call for a break now… we've barely begun_. Shunsui had lasted far longer before pleading for a rest, and Juushiro was determined to prove himself the equal of his roommate. Foolish? Possibly. But he hated the idea of Shunsui thinking him weak. _How can he ever respect me if I collapse at the first sign of strain? I can't be a liability_ …

Parrying a strike by Shunsui's wakizashi, Juushiro moved into a lunging strike aimed at Shunsui's ribs. It left his own ribs on the right side open, but he judged that to be a minor risk. Assuming Shunsui blocked with his asauchi, he'd have no way to strike at Juushiro's unguarded side.

But Shunsui, rather than blocking, flowed to the side, letting Juushiro's sword glance off of both his blades. Then, with a flourish, he snaked his wakizashi under Juushiro's katana and aimed a crosshand strike at Juushiro's ribs.

Juushiro jerked backwards, sucking in a breath as the wakizashi's point slid along his gi. His spiritual pressure protected him from any real injury – it was the only reason they could train with live blades – but the sight of sharpened steel passing so close to his skin still made him wince. _If he'd had another few inches on that blade, and had put some power behind the strike, he'd have had me_.

A burst of surprise unfurled in Shunsui's reiatsu – he clearly hadn't expected the move to work. As he paused for a half second to evaluate, Juushiro slid his left foot backwards and cut inwards with both his swords, one high and one low.

"Whoah!" Shunsui jumped backwards as the strikes sailed past his throat and groin, then hastily backpedaled again as Juushiro turned the inward cut of his right hand into an outer cut also aimed at neck level. When that strike failed to connect, he stepped forward with his left foot, extending his left arm in a classic thrust.

Shunsui grinned and pivoted out of the way. "You're definitely getting the hang of it now," he panted, retaliating with a trio of slow blows. "Feels good, doesn't it?" He added a fourth blow aimed downwards at Juushiro's collarbone.

Juushiro caught that one on the tsuba of his right hand, throwing a return strike with his left. But Shunsui's wakizashi, faster and more nimble than the katanas, slipped into place to block. Juushiro smiled. "It's certainly interesting." He disengaged with a backwards step. "How are you feeling?"

"Exhausted," Shunsui admitted cheerfully. "But it's good. Something about this feels natural, I think – it's as though there's an invisible presence guiding some of my strikes."

Juushiro nodded at that. He'd felt something similar, almost as though someone was standing behind him and patiently moving his hands into the right position. _Like Mother and Father used to, when they were first teaching me the basic strikes and blocks_. Takeo had been his initial teacher, but Gina had soon taken over, showing him the smooth, flowing moves that required more finess than strength. She'd taught him tricks to avoid clashing head-on with an enemy, ways to use his slender build to his advantage. _And those tricks have saved me more than once_.

As he whirled into another deflecting block, his eyes narrowed. _Maybe that's partly why this feels so natural – it's not too dissimilar from some of what she taught me_. With a single hand on each blade, he didn't have the strength to block a full-power blow, but he didn't need to. Doing so was truly supposed to be a last resort, anyway; every full-strength block, even with the flat, had the potential to damage the blade. _And blocking with the edge?_ He smiled. _Ruin one practice blade on accident, and you never forget it_. Katanas simply weren't built to take much force smashing against their edges.

Asauchis were stronger, infused with significant amounts of reiatsu to cut through hollow masks, but even they could only take so much damage. Juushiro had never heard of anyone shattering an asauchi by blocking wrong, but he'd certainly seen some nasty chips taken out, and it took a master blacksmith to repair damage like that.

A tickle began to build in the back of his throat as he launched another series of attacks. Regretfully, he lowered his blades. "I think…" He took a deep breath to still the cough threatening to build. "I think I need a break." His heart twisted as he forced the last words out. They'd been practicing for a respectable length of time, but still, Shunsui had made it significantly longer. _I'm not a burden, I promise!_ But the mental words rang hollow.

 _You are in a strange mood today_ , a laughing voice observed from within him. _Why worry so much now?_

Juushiro paused. _That's a very good question_ , he admitted after a moment. While the doubts often niggled at the back of his mind, he rarely allowed them to take center stage in his thoughts. _Maybe because of what the kirin said?_ Setting his blades aside, he accepted a cup of water from Shunsui and gulped it down.

 _What, the prophecy?_ A pause. _Or, no, not prophecy, warning. Yes, that's it, warning_. The voice – or voices – chuckled. _Why fret about that?_

 _Because_ … Juushiro groped for an explanation. _Because the kirin seemed to expect us to do something about this artifact, this tangled web that it was describing_. He bit his lip. _Or, rather, I suppose it truly expected Shunsui to do something, and me to keep him on the right path while he masters his powers to do so. Either way, it's a heavy burden to lay on us. We're just students, after all – there has to be someone more capable out there_.

Shunsui glanced at him curiously. "Everything alright?"

"Just thinking," Juushiro replied softly, mopping the sweat off his forehead with his sleeve.

Shunsui ruffled his hair. "You do too much of that," he teased, turning the playful caress into something more sensual. "You need to relax more often."

Juushiro let himself lean back against Shunsui's shoulder. "I'm relaxing now," he murmured. _And it feels surprisingly good_. Maybe Shunsui was right for once – usually, his suggestions to relax were synonymous with suggestions to slack, suggestions that Juushiro ignored without a second thought, but they were on vacation. He could afford a day or two of true relaxation; the world wouldn't end if he took some time to himself.

A faint grimace passed across his face. _At least, I certainly hope so_. The kirin hadn't given them any sort of time frame, but he had gotten the sense that too many delays could easily prove disastrous. _If only we knew what sort of things were waking, we'd have a much better sense of what to expect_. He rolled his eyes. _Might as well wish to know exactly where this mysterious artifact is; I suspect that's just as likely_.

Shunsui ran a finger down his spine. "You're still thinking." Reversing direction, he trailed his fingertips up Juushiro's back, ignoring the sweat-soaked fabric, until he could bury his fingers in Juushiro's hair. "Stop that." He tugged gently.

Heat spread across Juushiro's cheeks as he lifted his chin, eyes falling partway closed. Shunsui chuckled and tugged a bit harder, eliciting a gasp from the slender student. "Shunsui…" Juushiro let the sentence trail off, unsure what he'd wanted to say.

"Yeah?" Shunsui brushed his lips over Juushiro's temple. "Do I need to give you something else to think about?"

Cheeks crimson, Juushiro hesitated. Then, with more than a touch of regret, shook his head. "We really should talk about the problem the kirin set us, if we want to get anywhere on it before returning to the Academy."

Shunsui pouted at him. "Are you sure?"

With a sigh, Juushiro sat up. "Yes." He smiled shyly at Shunsui. "Not that I'm objecting to your distraction..." Unable to look his friend in the eyes, he dropped his gaze to the vee of Shunsui's gi.

Shunsui beamed at him, then planted a kiss on his lips. "Fine. Talk first, then…" He waggled his eyebrows playfully. "Then I'll teach you how to stop thinking for a while."

"Ah, of course." Juushiro coughed, then hastily changed the subject. "So, any ideas what sort of artifact the kirin was talking about?"

Shunsui ran his fingers through Juushiro's sweaty hair. "Not a clue," he admitted. "Some of the oldest families are rumored to have incredibly powerful artifacts, basically condensed kido spells I think, but if the Kyoraku clan does, I was never told." He made a face. "We probably do, to be honest. It's the sort of thing my father would find very useful."

"Condensed kido?" Juushiro bit his lower lip. "I've never run into that term before, and I don't believe Shihoin-sensei has said anything about semi-permanent kido structures." As far as he knew, kido was deliberately ephemeral – even the bakudo bindings would evaporate after a short period of time, though a caster could concentrate on them to sustain them. And some spells, like warming spells, did tend to last for multiple hours without any extra concentration from the caster. But that was a far cry from a permanent artifact.

Shunsui shrugged. "Like I said, these are just rumors. If someone – or someones – have figured out how to make permanent kido spells, I doubt they'd want to share their techniques."

"I'll have to ask Shihoin-sensei," Juushiro decided, still nibbling on his lip. "She would know far more than I. And, if all else fails, there's the archives." He grinned up at his roommate, who looked predictably dismayed.

"Not more digging through dusty manuscripts!" He pressed the back of his hand to his forehead. "Those gloomy archives will be the death of me, I swear!" Fluttering his eyelashes at Juushiro, he threw his head back and stuck his tongue out.

Juushiro smacked him on the shoulder. "Stop that. They're not that bad."

Shunsui groaned. "No, Juu-chan, you don't understand…" He sprawled backwards. "I feel faint just thinking about all those scrolls and books and, and… dusty pieces of parchment…" His eyes fluttered closed.

Juushiro rolled his eyes. "Well, you won't have to suffer the torments of reading just yet. We've still got a few days here, and we should make the most of them." He nudged Shunsui with a toe. "Maybe we'll get lucky and find this artifact without any research at all. After all, if it's truly sending out some sort of call, that should be detectable."

Shunsui sat up and beamed. "Now that sounds like much more fun!" He waggled his eyebrows. "You and me alone in the woods, no one nearby, all the time in the world…"

Heat spread across Juushiro's face. "I swear, Shunsui…" Didn't his roommate ever think of anything else? Admittedly, he knew Shunsui was partially joking, but only partially – he'd certainly take the opportunity to steal some kisses, if nothing else. _And I know he'd like more. I just_ … Juushiro bit his lip. "Searching first, then we can play," he admonished.

His roommate grinned. "Works for me." He ran his fingers through Juushiro's hair. "Anything to keep me out of the archives! Now…" He tugged Juushiro into his lap. "We've talked and we have a plan. Let me teach you how to stop thinking for a while."

* * *

 **Author's Note** : As always, thanks go to the lovely reviewers from last chapter, EmpressSaix and speedfanatic05. You both rock!

Niten Ichi-ryū is a dual-sword form of combat, developed in the early Edo period by Miyamoto Musashi. While that's not precisely what Shunsui and Juushiro are doing, as they're inventing their own way to fight, I borrowed from some of the Nito Seiho, two sword techniques, that I could find online. I also drew on my own experience with dual escrima fighting, as I have far more experience with that than I do with any form of proper swordplay, and modified it to avoid blocking blades head-on as much as possible. Japanese swords had a nasty tendency to shatter if they blocked something strongly, as they were made of poor-quality steel. I'm assuming that asauchi are stronger, given their magical nature, but I still wanted to keep the essence of Japanese swordplay.

Now, I'm afraid I have some bad news. Don't worry, I'm not abandoning this fic! However, between October 2 and October 21, I have a grand total of one full day at home. The chances of me finishing the next chapter while I'm flying all over the world (and spending a week on a sailing ship without wifi) are basically nonexistent. I promise I will keep working on it, but don't expect anything for a few weeks.


	20. Listen, Damn It

**Chapter 20: Listen, Damn It**

Shunsui wanted to go hunting that afternoon, but Juushiro's siblings cornered them after lunch, demanding that they demonstrate everything they'd been learning at the Academy. Laughing, Juushiro had agreed, and the kids had given Shunsui such a pleading look that he couldn't argue. And so they'd all trooped outside so Juushiro could demonstrate all the new kido he'd been learning.

As the slender student ran through spell after spell, Shunsui watched with growing amazement. Most students, him included, were hard-pressed to sustain their energy after three or four kido spells, much less dozens. Even full-fledged shinigami usually faltered around six, though the ranking officers could do far more.

Shunsui bit his lip at that thought. Did that mean that Juushiro had the control and reiatsu of a seated officer? _But he doesn't have shikai yet_.

A wave of melancholy swept over Shunsui. Juushiro might not know his zanpakuto's name yet, but it surely wouldn't be long before he discovered it. And, once he did, what reason would he have to stay at the Academy? Any division would be thrilled to have someone with those sorts of kido skills, especially if they came with shikai. Juushiro's illness and relatively low birth might prevent him from attaining the sort of rank he deserved, but Shunsui would be shocked if the divisions shunned him entirely.

 _Whereas me?_ Shunsui grimaced. _I might have the bloodlines, but I don't have the requisite skills. And the commanders won't want to offend my father by giving a place to his unwanted second son_. Unwanted and possibly disinherited – Shunsui hadn't heard anything from his parents since the missive after Mika's death, and he wouldn't be surprised if they had quietly decided to disavow him. As long as he remained in good standing at the Academy, they couldn't formally disinherit him without causing a scandal, but they could do so in all but name. _I suspect they're waiting for my grades to slip once again – they probably assume it's only a matter of time. Or they think I'll do something else spectacularly foolish and give them cause to shun me_.

Once they took that step, his career would be officially over before it began. Though his clan was not one of the Five Noble Houses, they were scarcely less influential. If they declared Shunsui to be outcast, no one would offer him even the lowliest unseated position.

The thought made Shunsui's heart sink, which surprised him. Not so long ago, he would have been overjoyed to have an excuse to avoid joining the ranks of the shinigami. Spend the rest of his – probably short – life fighting? No thanks. But now that idea filled him with dismay.

"Shunsui-san?" Naomi's soft voice startled him from his thoughts. "What have you been learning?"

Shunsui plastered a grin on his face, sweeping into an extravagant bow. "I fear I'm nowhere near as accomplished as your brother, milady. If I tried to replicate what he just did, I'd probably blow myself up." He winked. "However, I do have a few tricks up my sleeve." Taking a few steps backwards, he flourished his hands. "Bakudo 21: Sekienton!"

The younger children squealed as a cloud of red smoke burst from his fingertips, and Naomi clapped her hands. "That was wonderful!" She widened her eyes. "Show us another one?"

Laughing, Shunsui obliged, then glanced over at Sayuri. "Anything you'd like to see?" He bit his tongue before adding one of his usual endearments. _No flirting with Juushiro's sisters!_

The older girl blushed, them smiled shyly. "Could you demonstrate Sekienton again?"

"Of course!" Shunsui swept into another bow, then clapped his hands. "Sekienton!"

As the smoke drifted away, Sayuri bit her lip. "Hmm." Her fingers traced a pattern on the plain silk of her sleeve, then her eyes lit up. "Of course!" Like Shunsui, she clapped her hands. "Sekienton!" And a bubble of red smoke flowered in front of her.

Shunsui's mouth fell open. "Do you know how long it took me to master that spell?" He laughed and clapped Juushiro on the shoulder. "Now I know your secret – you come from a veritable family of kido masters!"

Sayuri flushed happily, while Isao jumped up and down. "I want to try it! I want to try it!"

Juushiro chuckled. "Can you form a reiatsu ball yet?"

The ten-year-old beamed. "Yep!" He held out his hands and frowned ferociously. "See?"

Juushiro gravely studied the uneven, wavering ball of energy for a moment, then patted his brother on the head. "Very good! You've gotten a lot smoother since I was last here. But you still need a bit more practice before you can try kido like Sekienton." He ruffled Isao's hair to take the sting out of his words, but the boy's lip still trembled.

Shunsui leaned forward. "Do you know how old I was when I finally managed to make a perfect reiatsu sphere?" When Isao shook his head, Shunsui grinned. "Fourteen. So don't worry! You're way ahead of where I was." He winked.

Juushiro laughed. "And can you guess what happened the first time Shunsui tried Sekienton?" He threw a teasing glance at Shunsui.

Isao bounced on his toes, cheer restored. "It exploded!"

Shunsui nodded. "All over me. My skin was red for a week." He pulled his face into an exaggerated grimace. "Do you know what the worst part was, though?" Again, Isao shook his head, and Shunsui lowered his voice. "I only had one kimono that didn't clash with the color."

After a moment of shocked silence, both Naomi and Sayuri started giggling. "Really?" Naomi managed. "That's what you cared about?"

"Of course!" Shunsui pressed his hand to his heart. "You've got to look good for the ladies, you know." Only after the words left his mouth did he realize that it might not have been the brightest thing to say.

"But I thought you were with Juushiro," Isao blurted out.

Shunsui and Juushiro exchanged glances. Juushiro, to Shunsui's relief, just looked amused as he mouthed, 'Your problem now.'

Shunsui's lips twitched. 'Thanks,' he mouthed back, before turning back to face the kids. "Well, you see…" He stalled as words deserted him. _What am I supposed to say?_ These were Juushiro's younger siblings, after all – he couldn't just make up some glib explanation.

As he scrambled for something to say, Kaoru, the oldest of the boys there, came to his rescue. "Thank you both for the kido demonstrations; they were most instructive." He offered them both a shallow bow. "But I assume you've been learning other things, as well?"

Shunsui pounced on the opening. "All sorts of things," he assured the group, smiling. "History, tactics, zanjutsu… We even got to start learning hakuda this year."

A challenging light entered Kaoru's eyes. "Care to demonstrate?" His hand drifted towards his hip, where an asauchi would have rested if he'd been wearing one.

"Getting bored sparring Mother and Father?" Juushiro teased.

Kaoru shrugged, unabashed. "They don't have much time, and the hollows around here are hardly a challenge."

Juushiro nodded slowly. "Good…" His gaze darted over to Shunsui, who nodded in return at the silent message there. _Hopefully that means this artifact hasn't woken anything yet_. Then Juushiro smiled. "Well, shall we adjourn to the dojo then? We'd be happy to give you a bout or two."

Shunsui, shoulders still aching from their morning workout, sighed, but kept his complaints to himself. How hard could the aforementioned bouts really be?

* * *

The answer, as it turned out, was very. Sayuri was wickedly fast, though hesitant to attack, with a fluid style that reminded Shunsui strongly of Juushiro. Naomi showed signs of the same speed, though she needed another couple years of training to catch up to her older sister. But she threw herself into every attack with wild enthusiasm, forcing Shunsui onto the defensive time and time again. And Kaoru, though not as fast as his younger sisters, more than made up for it with sheer power.

Facing him made Shunsui glad that they chosen, by mutual consensus, to use rattan rather than metal blades. Though spiritual pressure provided a decent layer of armor, accidents were always a possibility. Rattan didn't prevent them, but it did minimize the potential damage – the worst the bamboo could do was leave bruises.

Both Shunsui and Juushiro had also chosen to stick with a single blade, rather than continue their experiments with dual-wielding. As Juushiro had remarked, they needed far more practice before they'd be able to give anyone a proper fight.

A chill had run down Shunsui's spine at those words. "Let's get that practice quickly," he'd suggested. And Juushiro had agreed.

But now was not the time, not when they had an engrossed audience and eager, fresh opponents. So they stuck with what they knew.

By the end, Shunsui was panting and dripping with sweat, as was Juushiro. It was scant consolation that their opponents looked just as exhausted – they were only kids. Shunsui, however, was supposed to be a shinigami-in-training! He let his sword droop towards the floor. "I clearly need to work out more."

Juushiro patted him on the shoulder. "Don't feel too bad. Kaoru is going to the Academy next year, and all three of them have been training since they were little."

"So have I," Shunsui grumbled under his breath, knowing that it wasn't quite true. Yes, he had been training since he was a child, but his heart hadn't been in it. He hadn't truly gotten serious about it until he'd entered the Academy, and even then, he'd only put in enough effort to avoid failing.

He glanced over at the three younger children. Little Daisuke had toddled off towards the beginning of the sparring, but Junichi, Michio, and Isao were watching wide wide eyes. "What about them?"

Isao, oldest of the three, jumped to his feet. "I want to spar!"

"Have Mother and Father said that you're allowed to?" Juushiro asked sternly.

Isao hung his head. "Not..." He hesitated. "Yet. But I swear I'm ready!" Widening his eyes, he gave Juushiro a pleading look.

Juushiro ruffled his hair. "Not till they say so, kid. You know the rules."

Michio snickered. "Told you so!"

Isao threw a dirty look at his younger brother. "Shut up." He stuck out his lower lip.

Before the argument could devolve further, Takeo poked his head into the dojo. "Looks like you've all been having fun." He smiled wryly. "Mind if I steal your playmates, Juushiro?" He gestured at Junichi and Michio. "These two volunteered to help me with dinner, and I believe the rest of you have your own chores." The older quartet shuffled their feet as he gazed mildly at them, wearing identical guilty expressions.

"We'll get right on those," Kaoru promised, accompanied by virtuous nods from his younger siblings.

Takeo chuckled. "I'm sure you will. Dinner is in half a bell, though, so you'd better hurry." He smiled at Juushiro. "Sorry to interrupt your playtime, son."

Shunsui burst out laughing. "Juu-chan might be able to go another round or two, but I, for one, am beat. Trust me, the interruption is welcome!" Maybe he'd be able to recover feeling in his arms in a half bell – at the moment, they felt like overcooked noodles, with barely enough strength to lift a pair of chopsticks.

Takeo laughed sympathetically, then motioned to his younger sons. "Come on, you two. Let's go get the fish cleaned."

As the children trooped out of the dojo, Shunsui sank to the floor with a groan. "Juu-chan… everything hurts…"

Juushiro dropped into seiza next to him, and Shunsui's thighs twinged in sympathy at the pose. "It's good for you," the pale student chuckled, wiping sweat off of his forehead. "Though I can empathize – my shoulders are screaming at me."

Hauling himself off of the floor, Shunsui reached out and dug his thumbs into the aforementioned muscles. Juushiro groaned, and Shunsui grinned. "Better?" he murmured.

Juushiro let his head hang down. "Kami, yes. Thank you." Another groan slipped from his lips as Shunsui found a particularly difficult knot.

Shunsui's groin tightened at the sound. To distract himself, he pressed a kiss to the side of Juushiro's neck, then sighed. "I suppose tomorrow is going to be just as strenuous…"

Juushiro chuckled. "Probably not. We'll be hiking, but we won't be sparring for multiple bells." He twisted around, dislodging Shunsui's hands, and gestured for the exhausted student to turn as well.

Shunsui obeyed, breath hissing between his teeth as Juushiro began to knead his shoulders. "Well, fun."

* * *

The morning of the solstice dawned cold and misty. A thick fog had rolled in from the sea during the night, blanketing the land in a chilly grey cloud and muffling the traces of reiatsu flowing through the air. The dampening of his senses made Shunsui shiver, but he, like Juushiro, was determined to press on. They only had a couple more days of vacation before they had to start heading back to the Academy, and the kirin's words rang ominously in both of their heads. Time was running out.

But the forest was preternaturally quiet. Nothing stirred – no birds fluttered through the trees, no rodents scurried among the roots. The air was dead calm, laden with moisture that smelled of the sea, and cold enough to seep through the quilted jacket Shunsui wore over his gi top.

That cold might have been the cause of the silence, but Shunsui doubted it. Their hike to the spring had hardly been warmer – though, admittedly, drier – and he'd certainly spotted more than one songbird during their trek. And surely the rabbits and squirrels who inhabited this forest were accustomed to such inclement weather.

He said as much to Juushiro, who glanced around before nodding. "No, this doesn't feel natural. But I can't sense anything out of the ordinary."

Shunsui grimaced. "Me neither. But…" He let the sentence trail off, then shook his head. "If it wasn't for that, I'd assume that a hollow – or maybe a large predator – was nearby. But there's nothing out there!" Just to make sure of that, he flung his reiatsu out once again, only to receive the same results as he'd gotten every previous time he'd tried. _If something's out there, it's doing a fantastic job concealing its spiritual pressure_.

"It could just be a hunting cat," Juushiro murmured, though he looked dubious. "I highly doubt we'd sense a simple animal predator, but the local wildlife would probably know when one was around."

Shunsui flicked a glance at the surrounding trees. "How likely is that?" _I don't fancy being pounced on by a couple hundred pounds of pure muscle, to be frank_. Though he assumed that his reiatsu would be more than enough to protect his skin from the claws and fangs of such a predator, he definitely didn't want to test his theory.

To his momentary relief, Juushiro laughed. "Probably not very. The big cats prefer to hunt at sunrise and sunset, not midmorning." His smile slipped away. "Though, honestly, I think I'd prefer a cat over any of the other possibilities."

After a moment to consider that, Shunsui sighed. "Me too. Either we've got a hollow strong enough to conceal its spiritual pressure – which I didn't think was possible – or a creature like the kirin who has the same ability. Either way, I don't think I want to face it."

"If it's the latter, it might be friendly," Juushiro offered, shrugging.

Shunsui returned his shrug, then resumed plodding forward. The snowy trail had clearly been traveled by more than one party since the last snowstorm, but the cold had frozen the footprints into crunchy ruts, making each step an exercise in agility. In its own way, it was just as strenuous as traveling through untouched powder, and neither he nor Juushiro were willing to expend the energy to shunpo over it. _Not when we could find ourselves fighting for our lives at any moment_.

They'd been walking for another half bell when Juushiro threw up a gloved hand. "Wait!"

Shunsui's hand dropped to the asauchi at his hip. In the back of his mind, he felt a stirring of interest, as though the spirits in his head had sat up and were looking around. "What is it?"

"I don't know," Juushiro murmured, so low Shunsui could barely hear it. "But…" His hand clenched into a fist. "Something's not right."

Taking a deep breath, Shunsui released his grip on his reiatsu, allowing it to spill out over the landscape. The surrounding trees gained a sharp-edged clarity, visible even though the fog, as did the ruts in the trail. The fog clung, cold and clammy, to the edges of everything, but it couldn't obscure them completely.

Shunsui let his eyes fall shut, the better to sort through the wealth of information pouring through him. A few steps to his right, a rabbit slept in its earthen den, its life-force a faint spark in the overall flow of the forest. Trees and bushes were other sparks, all tied into a great web of energy that stretched throughout the land.

 _Nothing seems out of place_ … Shunsui frowned and sank deeper into a trance-like state, searching for whatever had put Juushiro on edge. What's wrong?

 _Look harder, baka_ , the woman in his head snapped.

 _I'm trying_ , Shunsui snapped back. _Unless you think you could do a better job, shut up_.

 _Of course I could_ , she snarled, shoving her way to the forefront of his mind. He jerked in surprise as she claimed control of his reiatsu, forcing it into an odd net-like weave that she cast out over the land like a fisherman trawling for a catch. _Look_. She pulled more power from him, then directed it to a single strand of the net. _Right_ … She hesitated. _There!_

As soon as she said the final word, a wave of nausea washed over Shunsui. He yanked his reiatsu back, fighting not to be sick, as she smiled grimly. _Now that's no ordinary hollow_.

 _No_. He drew his sword with frozen fingers, noting with vague surprise that his hand was trembling. _It's definitely not_. The spiritual pressure of ordinary hollows tasted bloody, full of rage and unquenchable hunger, whereas this spiritual pressure was ice-cold and as hard as a diamond. Rot lurked beneath its surface, but it was a subtle thing, easy to miss in a cursory study. He had a sense of both age and vast intelligence, an intelligence that was far from human in its suppressed hungers and rigid control.

 _Or_ , Shunsui shuddered, _maybe not so far from human_. Some of the shinigami captains had reiatsu like that, as vast and unfathomable as the ocean, and just as capricious. They lacked the stamp of cruelty that this creature's signature carried, but they weren't so dissimilar in other ways.

Shunsui opened his eyes to find Juushiro looking at him with a sickened expression. "I found it," he whispered.

"And it's not good," Shunsui completed, fingers tightening around the hilt of his blade. "I found it too – or, rather, my zanpakuto did. And it's not good at all."

A low laugh from farther down the path answered him. "Well now, what isn't good at all?" A slender humanoid strode into view, smirking. "I don't suppose you're referring to me, are you?"

Juushiro's blade leapt into his hand. "Stop right there."

The newcomer propped her hands on her hips. "That's not very polite," she chided, swinging her midnight blue hair over one shoulder to reveal bone pauldrons that rose into triple spikes over her shoulders and upper arms. More bone armor covered her torso, interlocking plates reminiscent of scales that slid against each other with a hissing sound as she moved. The only area not covered by bone was the hole in the center of her chest, right between her breasts.

The spikes on her pauldrons were echoed by trios of spikes on her bracers, as well as smaller spikes on the armor covering her calves. Her knees bent backwards, Shunsui realized, making it impossible for her to accidentally rake herself with those blades.

Even her mask, a strange construction that looked like a set of four claws molded across her face, was spiky, though those spikes lacked the oily green sheen of the others.

 _Don't let her close with you_ , the voice inside his head warned.

 _No, really?_ Shunsui rolled his eyes. _It's not like I always wanted to get stabbed by the poisoned claws of a hollow, or something_.

His zanpakuto's dry laugh startled him. _You're learning, boy. You're learning_.

With another eye roll, Shunsui returned his attention to the hollow in front of him. Though the entire mental exchange hadn't taken more than half a second, even milliseconds mattered when facing a dangerous opponent, and Shunsui had no doubts as to the danger this woman represented. Based on the mask and the hole, she had to be a hollow, but one far beyond the ordinary hollows he was accustomed to fighting. _She's as far above them as… as a captain is above a new recruit_. He swallowed hard. _What have we gotten ourselves into?_

Juushiro's reiatsu flared. "What are you doing here?"

The hollow swiped her tongue over her lips, then smiled, revealing jagged teeth. "Just passing through, shinigami. I seek no quarrel with pups like you."

"Just passing through?" Juushiro's blade remained aimed at her throat as he lifted an eyebrow. "Passing through to where?"

"Oh, here and there." Her hair lifted, as though blown by the wind, though the air remained perfectly still. "It has nothing to do with you." She smirked, daring them to disagree.

"These are my lands," Juushiro replied steadily. "Hollows are not welcome here."

She laughed. "Such cynicism for one so young. I swear to you, I mean no harm to you or yours. Will you let me pass?"

 _Sure she doesn't_ , Shunsui's zanpakuto snorted. _I bet you anything, she's in pursuit of this artifact thing. She might not mean harm now – in fact, she's probably telling the truth about that – but once she finds it? I'm guessing it's not the sort of thing that belongs in the hands of a hollow_.

 _What do you mean, she doesn't mean us any harm? She's a kami-forsaken hollow!_ Since when were hollows peaceful or harmless?

His zanpakuto snickered. _Since when do hollows talk, either? She's far from a run-of-the-mill hollow, moron. Once they're that strong, they're perfectly capable of controlling their bloodlust_. Her tone sobered. _And she knows that she could crush you both without much trouble. Dammit. You need to listen!_

 _Listen to what?_ Shunsui demanded, still keeping his eyes trained on the hollow before him.

He got the sense that she was shaking her head. _Never mind. Just… listen harder, alright?_

Shunsui sighed. He could figure out his zanpakuto's cryptic advice later. Right now, he had a potential battle on his hands.

He took a step forwards. "You still haven't told us where you're going."

The hollow pressed her lips together. "Is that a no?" She cocked her head to one side. "My patience is quickly reaching its end, younglings," she warned, eyes flat. "I may not have a quarrel with you, but I have no intention of returning home until I find what I seek, either. If you persist in opposing me, I will be forced to deal with you."

Juushiro gave her an abbreviated bow, never letting his eyes drop. "Then we are at an impasse."

She snorted. "Fine." She snapped down a hand and a wave of spiritual pressure exploded from her. "Have it your way."

Shunsui groaned as her freezing reiatsu washed over him, biting into his flesh and driving him back first one pace, then another. He flared his own reiatsu, feeling his zanpakuto lending him strength, but it faltered under the weight of the hollow's power. It took everything he had just to stay on his feet.

Beside him, Juushiro trembled, but remained upright, flooding the area with his own sea-salt energy. "You could…" He sucked in a breath. "Just go home…"

The hollow burst out laughing. "Not a chance, shinigami. Not until I claim my prize." She gestured lazily, sending another blast of reiatsu at them.

Shunsui swayed and dropped to one knee, gritting his teeth as he fought to hang onto his sword. "What prize?" His standing leg buckled, leaving him on both knees in the packed snow.

She laughed harder. "Can't you sense it?" Her purple tongue trailed along her lips. "I wonder what they're teaching youngsters these days, if you can't taste it in the air." She pulled a breath in through her nose. "Delicious."

Shunsui fought to get to his feet as she prowled forwards, but to no avail. Adrenaline surged through his veins as she neared him, claws crooked and a predatory smile on her thin lips. Desperate, he heaved his asauchi higher, pointing it at her groin. "Stay back."

"I love it when they fight back," she murmured, brushing aside his blade as though it was no more than a feather. "But it won't help you here." Her smile broadened as she lifted one clawed hand high, ready for the finishing blow.

"Hado 54: Haien!"

Shunsui threw himself backwards as purple energy blasted from Juushiro's fingertips, sizzling through the air to crash into the hollow's side with explosive force. She jerked backwards,eyes widening. "What the…"

"Bakudo 30: Shtotsu Sansen!" Juushiro interrupted, face grim with concentration as he thrust his hands out in front of him.

For a second, as the three golden beams slammed the hollow against the tree behind her, pinning her like a bug, Shunsui wondered if it could really be that easy. But then she giggled. "Not bad for a cub, I'll give you that." She flexed her arms and the kido beams shattered, letting her drop lithely to the snowy forest floor. "But not good enough." Heat flared in her eyes. "On guard."

Within moments of her attack, Shunsui knew they were outmatched. He and Juushiro spun and dodged and blocked, moving as though they could reach other's minds, but every time they moved, the hollow was right there. Their blows slid off of her armor without leaving so much as a scratch, and Juushiro's kido was scarcely more effective. Even his highest-level spells, spells that most shinigami couldn't cast until they were seated officers, barely marked her.

Icy fear sank its claws into Shunsui's gut. Dimly, he registered the burning of a gash in his bicep, but the pain was far away, unimportant – the worst of his injuries so far, but not life-threatening. That wasn't an accident, he suspected – the hollow was just playing with them, enjoying their fear and desperation before moving in for the kill.

As he whirled out of the way of a circular kick, he stole a glance at Juushiro. The pale student's skin was a pasty grey, his reiatsu flickering as he gathered his strength for another spell. Blood dripped from a cut on his forehead, dotting the snow with scarlet, yet he moved as fluidly as ever.

Still, he was tiring, as was Shunsui. As the minutes stretched onwards, he could feel himself slowing, starting to stumble. Each sword swing took more and more effort. The words of Kichiro-sensei rang in his head: _If you don't end a fight in the first ten seconds, you've already lost_.

 _Well_ , Shunsui thought grimly, yanking his blade up just in time to catch the hollow's hook kick, _I think we may have lost_. He slashed downwards at the hollow's head, only for her to sway aside and let the blow whistle harmlessly past. _We're going to die here_.

To his surprise, he felt little sorrow at the realization – it was a fact, nothing more. If he'd been stronger, had practiced more… but no.

He dove out of the way as the hollow lunged, then rolled to his feet and pivoted in a circle, blade held waist high. The hollow bared her teeth. "Fool." One hand closed around his asauchi, yanking him off balance as she drove a kick straight into his chest.

As he crashed into a tree and slumped to the ground, every nerve afire with pain, he thought he could hear Juushiro screaming his name. And, underneath it, a distant susurration, a breeze through the cherry blossoms back home? He smiled dizzily.

 _Listen, damn it!_ his zanpakuto screamed, panic turning her voice shrill. _Just listen!_

Shunsui's eyes drifted closed. "I hear you," he mumbled. "You don't need to yell."

"Shunsui!" Juushiro's voice, close at hand and panicked. "Kami, no!" A rush of air. "Hado 31: Shakkaho!"

The hollow snickered. "Getting tired?" The snow crunched as she walked forward. Shunsui fought to open his eyes, but they remained stubbornly closed, filling his vision with starbursts of light. "You…"

An unfamiliar female voice cut her off before she could complete her sentence. "Bakudo 61: Rikujokoro!"

A split second later, a second newcomer spat, "Hado 58: Tenran!" The hollow screamed.

At last, Shunsui pried his eyes open, then blinked, sure he was hallucinating. The hollow, wrapped in golden chains and bleeding, was flanked by none other than Juushiro's parents, both with drawn blades and radiating an absolutely terrifying amount of reiatsu. Shunsui gulped. "How?" He struggled to sit up, only to sink back down with a choked gasp as his ribs screamed at him.

The hollow snarled, flexing her claws. "You think you'll do any better than these two?" She arched her back and screamed, sending a shockwave of spiritual pressure through the forest.

The chains looped around her torso shuddered, but held, and Gina smiled humorlessly. "Yes."

The hollow screamed again. The sound pierced Shunsui's eardrums and rattled against his bones, making him wince and suck in a breath between his teeth. And then his heart stopped as the first golden link shattered.

Laughter entered the hollow's scream. "See?" She threw her arms out wide, ripping the chains off of her torso. "You can't beat me with such paltry parlor tricks!"

Gina's mouth flattened into a thin line. "Sing for me, Inazuma."

Shunsui's mouth fell open as a snow-laden wind, redolent with the scent of scorched ozone, whipped through the clearing. Pressure built in the air as the wind wrapped around Gina, twisting tighter and tighter until, with a thunderclap, it vanished.

She repositioned her grip on the fishing spear she now held in both hands and offered the hollow a cool smile. "I wouldn't be so confident if I were you."

The hollow grimaced. "Fine." She bent her knees and bared her teeth, purple tongue flickering over her lips. "Let's do this, then." And, without waiting for an answer, she launched herself at Takeo.

Though she was no more than a blur as she moved, he didn't bat an eye as he sidestepped her and flicked out his sword. "Crash upon the shore, Kaiyo Nami."

The hollow wrenched herself backwards as his sword elongated, only to throw herself forwards again as Gina lunged. She jerked sideways, catching Takeo's strike on her left pauldron while deflecting Gina'sblow with a forearm. Gina, undeterred, whipped her spear in a circle, catching the hollow's reverse-jointed knees and sent her crashing down.

When she rolled to her feet, fury shone in her eyes. "You'll pay for that." Energy flared around her crooked fingers. "Cero!"

After that, everything was a blur. Shunsui watched with amazement as Juushiro's parents methodically wore the hollow down, forcing her on the defensive time and time again. Soon, black ichor dripped from a dozen lacerations on her arms and torso. Though none were even close to fatal, they clearly irritated her. Her strikes grew wilder and more vicious with each injury she took, while her reiatsu roiled ever more violently. The blows she managed to land – for she did land several – did nothing to diminish her wrath.

That recklessness proved to be her undoing. Gina and Takeo fought like one person, so in harmony that they didn't even need to glance at each other to know what the other was going to do. When they saw how livid she was growing, they began to bait her, opening up the tiniest gaps in their defenses to goad her into attacking. Then, when the gap inevitably proved to be a feint, leaving her open, they'd deliver their own blows.

Shunsui had thought that he and Juushiro worked well together, but they never could have pulled off something like that.

Within minutes, the hollow's movements began to slow. It wasn't much of a change, only a millisecond here or there, but it was enough. Takeo baited her one last time, opening his guard up just enough to make a front kick look tempting. As the hollow lunged in, he dove out of the way, and Gina rose into his place, spear crackling with power. With a hoarse yell, she drove the spear into the hollow's breastplate.

Everyone froze. The hollow blinked, stunned, as ichor began to course down her body. "No…" She wrapped both hands around the spear, heedless of the way her flesh smoked and charred, and yanked it out of her chest. A fresh wave of ichor followed, and she swayed. "No…."

"This is for hurting my son," Takeo told her coldly as he brought his sword down on her head, shattering her mask.

As she dissolved into ash, Gina smiled wryly. "That's never a good idea." She trotted over to Shunsui. "Now, let's take a look at those ribs, shall we?"

He blinked dazedly at her. "I'm…" he started, then gasped.

"Don't try to tell me you're fine," she admonished. "You've got at least two broken ribs and what I'm guessing is a pretty nasty concussion. I can fix the former, but I can only do so much about the latter – head injuries are tricky."

"Meaning, no crazy shenanigans until you heal," Juushiro put in, kneeling next to Shunsui. Though his reiatsu still guttered like a dying candle, he appeared mostly unhurt. "How are you feeling?"

"Better now that you're here," Shunsui joked, and Juushiro's cheeks turned pink. "Seriously, though, I'll be fine once I have a bit of rest."

"Boys," Gina sighed, pressing a glowing hand to his ribcage. He helped as bones grated against each other, then sighed with relief as the kido numbed the pain. "You'll need more than a bit of rest to be fine again." She turned to Juushiro. "Make sure he gets it, alright? Even bone healing can only do so much – his ribs will be fragile for a few days, and his head will be tender for at least a week. No more hunting hollows, you hear me?"

Juushiro hugged her. "Of course, Mother. We'll be perfectly well-behaved, I promise."

She snorted. "See that you are." Lifting her hands away from Shunsui's ribs, she slung one arm under his. "Now, let's get you both home before any more trouble comes along, shall we?"

* * *

 **Author's Note** : Well, I'm back! Three trips in a row, one overseas, is a bit insane even for me, but it was worth it. Sailing, for the record, is bloody awesome, as is pretending to be a pirate on said sailing ship. Epic ship battles, fistfights, betrayal, and magical rituals – not a bad way to spend five days! (If you're curious, send me a PM; I have plenty of stories.)

Now, I'd like to thank KSPArt and EmpressSaix for their reviews. Your kind words kept me motivated through the jetlag and sleep deprivation! Please, if you're enjoying the story, let me know – it really does make my day. Though constructive criticism is also totally welcome :)


	21. Perfect

**Chapter 21: Perfect**

"I'm sorry," Shunsui murmured much later, pressing a kiss to Juushiro's shoulder. "This wasn't quite how I envisioned the solstice night going."

They were lying on the roof of Juushiro's home, wrapped in layers of blankets against the growing chill. The full moon shone above them, turning Juushiro's hair and skin a ghostly silver. Down in the village, the festivities were slowly dying as people sought their beds, though dozens of lanterns still shone. Every so often, the breeze would carry snippets of laughter and music up to them.

In previous years, Juushiro would have been down there with his family, laughing and dancing and talking as the night drifted by. Maybe even flirting with some of the village boys, though he'd never gotten much farther than exchanging a kiss or two in shadowed alcoves. He'd always been too shy, and there'd always been an unspoken gulf between him and the villagers. The Ukitake clan might have been friendly, but they were still nobles, and Juushiro hadn't wanted that to taint anything, hadn't wanted to abuse his position in any way.

Now, though? He smiled. He had Shunsui, and cuddling on a rooftop was far more enjoyable than sneaking fleeting kisses in the shadows.

Not that they hadn't done some of that, too, before slipping away to come up here. They'd spent the earlier part of the evening with his family, regaling his siblings with the tale of their encounter that morning. Gina and the girls had made all the traditional foods – gelatinous konnyaku, roasted ginkgo nuts, and winter squash – leaving them pleasantly stuffed by the time they made their way down to the village and its celebration.

There, the shopkeepers had set up an open-air market, selling everything from candy to paper lanterns to firecracker poppers to the people thronging the streets. A quarter of musicians had set up in the village square and were playing dancing music, pausing every so often to encourage more people to join in.

Shunsui had been delighted. He'd dragged Juushiro into the center of the square for three dances in a row, then partnered with Naomi and Sayuri for the next two. He was, to no one's surprise, an excellent dancer.

Sake and umeshu, plum wine, had followed the dancing, which had led to stolen kisses in secluded corners. With so many people around, including Juushiro's ever-curious younger siblings, they didn't dare do anything more, but that was enough to give Juushiro's cheeks a pink tinge. By the time the fireworks came around, he was more than a bit tipsy and definitely looking forward to the rest of the night.

Thankfully, the younger children went to bed after the fireworks display was over, while Naomi, Sayuri, and Kaoru disappeared to enjoy the festival on their own. So Juushiro and Shunsui were able to make their escape as well.

Juushiro leaned his head against Shunsui's shoulder and smiled, though he knew his partner wouldn't be able to see the expression. "What did you imagine?" he murmured.

Shunsui pressed a kiss to the top of Juushiro's head. "Oh, you know…" He waved a languid hand. "I don't know. Something more romantic, something more…" Again he trailed off. "I certainly didn't think I'd be babying cracked ribs and a concussion, certainly."

His reiatsu trailed over Juushiro's skin like a caress, making the slender student shiver. Juushiro swallowed hard. "I can see that." He squirmed closer to Shunsui, letting his fingers drag down the bigger student's chest. Shunsui gulped, and Juushiro smirked. "And I can guess what you mean by more romantic, too," he teased.

As Shunsui began to splutter, Juushiro lifted his head and pressed a kiss to Shunsui's lips. "I'm not complaining," he whispered against Shunsui's mouth, before kissing him again.

Shunsui groaned and shifted position to tug Juushiro on top of him, returning the kiss with open-mouthed fervor. His reiatsu swirled in heated circles around them, reducing the bite of the winter air until it was no more than an afterthought. Juushiro released his own reiatsu in response, wrapping it around both of them and infusing it with everything he was feeling.

As another moan slipped from his throat, Shunsui sank his teeth into Juushiro's lower lip. "Kami," he mumbled, biting just hard enough to provoke a groan from Juushiro. "You are so… so…" He shook his head. "Perfect."

Juushiro sucked in a breath as Shunsui's mouth left his lips and trailed down the side of his throat, kissing and nibbling at the soft skin there. Heat began to pool in his groin as Shunsui tugged at the neck of his kimono. "That's…" He swallowed hard, hands tightening on Shunsui's shoulders. Shunsui bit down in response, and Juushiro practically whimpered. "Do that again?"

Shunsui obliged, sucking hard enough on Juushiro's neck to leave a little red mark, then soothed away the sting with his tongue. "Good?"

Unable to come up with anything coherent, Juushiro just nodded, and Shunsui chuckled. "Good." He tugged Juushiro's kimono open farther, one hand drifting down the pale student's chest. "You look so gorgeous like this…"

Juushiro squirmed as Shunsui's fingers toyed with his nipple, sending bolts of pleasure down his spine. Everything felt so unfamiliar but so good, each sensation enhanced by the reiatsu eddying around them. Every touch sent sparks through him.

"Too much clothing," Shunsui complained, pulling ineffectually at Juushiro's top, which was trapped between them. Juushiro arched his back to help, accidentally grinding his hips into Shunsui's, and Shunsui's breath hissed out of him. "Damn." He looped his fingers through Juushiro's hair and tugged him downwards into a searing kiss. "You…" He bit Juushiro's lip. "Are…" Another bite. "Way too…" His lips moved back to Juushiro's throat, then travelled lower, over the pale student's collarbone. "Attractive…" He pressed a kiss to the hollow of Juushiro's throat. "For your own good." His mouth fastened onto Juushiro's nipple, taking the place of his fingers, and Juushiro groaned. His own fingers tugged clumsily at Shunsui's collar, faltering every time Shunsui bit down. But at last he managed to get the obstinate fabric to cooperate.

Shunsui bit back a whimper as Juushiro ran his nails along Shunsui's collarbone. "Fuck, Juu-chan…" His hand tightened in Juushiro's hair. Juushiro gulped as the sensation shot straight to his groin, but didn't pause in his leisurely traversal. Shunsui moaned. Emboldened, Juushiro repeated the gesture, biting his lip as he watched Shunsui's eyes drift close with pleasure.

Then a mischievous expression crossed the flamboyant student's face as his eyes reopened. He licked his lips. "Hey, Juushiro…" He caught Juushiro's wrist in a gentle grip, tugging his hand up to his mouth.

Juushiro's head fell backwards as Shunsui drew his first two fingers into his mouth, swiping his tongue around them before sucking. _Kami_ … He had no idea why such a simple act would be so arousing, but its erotic power was undeniable. His hakama suddenly felt far too restrictive.

Shunsui chuckled, then placed a kiss on the inside of Juushiro's wrist. "Oh, Juu-chan…" His reiatsu surged with emotion as he shook his head. "You're…" Again, he shook his head, grey eyes swimming with tenderness. "You're perfect."

Juushiro leaned down and planted a lingering kiss on Shunsui's lips. "So are you," he murmured, running his fingers through his lover's hair. "So are you."

* * *

Two days later, they took their leave in the grey light before dawn to begin the long trek back to the Academy. The entire family assembled to see them off, though little Daisuke was yawning and rubbing his eyes in Takeo's arms, and five-year-old Junichi seemed scarcely more awake.

"Take care of yourself," Takeo murmured gruffly, before pulling his son into a quick hug. "Don't let the Academy work you to death."

"And don't let him run you ragged, either," Gina added, eyes sparkling. She kissed Juushiro's forehead, then smoothed his hair back. "Don't forget to write – I expect at least one letter a week."

Juushiro smiled softly. "Of course." Taking a step back, he bowed to both of his parents. "Take care of yourselves, too, alright?" He glanced at Kaoru. "You too. Study for the entrance exams – they're harder than you might think."

Kaoru snorted with all the confidence of an eighteen-year-old boy. "I'll be fine."

Much to Juushiro's amusement, both Naomi and Sayuri insisted on kissing Shunsui on the cheek. "Come back again, won't you?" Sayuri pleaded prettily, hands clasped in front of her and eyes wide. "Please, say you will!"

Shunsui glanced over at Juushiro, who grinned, then swept into an elaborate bow. "Of course I will, Sayuri-chan! How could I resist such heartfelt pleas? And…" He turned and bowed again to Gina and Takeo. "How could I scorn such wonderful hospitality?" His expression sobered slightly. "Truly, thank you." A note of melancholy drifted through his voice. Juushiro sent a wave of reassuring reiatsu towards him, and he broke into a smile. "This was wonderful. Definitely the best solstice holiday I've had."

Gina beamed. "You're welcome to return anytime you like." She glanced at the horizon, where the first rays of sun were beginning to show. "Now, though, shoo, or you won't make it to the first rest stop before dark." She flapped her hands at them. "Go on then."

Juushiro sighed and hoisted his pack. "She's right." He smiled at Shunsui. "Let's go."

* * *

Rei was waiting for them at the gate back into the Seireitei, back rigid and hazel eyes flashing. Several layers of kimono covered her, with slivers of each showing at her collar. The top layer, a lilac kimono fastened with an amethyst obi, bore the Kuchiki crest over her breast. Between that and the elaborate hair-sticks holding her bun in place, she looked every inch the proper noblewoman.

But then she turned slightly, revealing the katana strapped to her hip, and Juushiro smiled. _I'm glad to see that she hasn't lost all of her spirit_.

As soon as they were within conversational distance, her face thawed. "That name you gave me – Yukio. I think I've found him," she announced with no preamble. Her reiatsu seethed with suppressed excitement.

Shunsui and Juushiro exchanged startled glances. "Really?" Shunsui asked eagerly. "Who is he? Why is he important?"

Rei glanced around, eyes flickering over the shinigami stationed to guard the gate and the few passerby who had braved the grey weather to complete errands of their own. "He's a tavern-keeper in Meguro District," she replied shortly. "The rest of the squad is there now. You'll want to hear this yourself." A flinty smile darted over her face. "Trust me."

Juushiro nodded slowly. He didn't like the way her reiatsu roiled underneath the surface, a maelstrom simmering just beneath the hard shell she was projecting, but he couldn't blame her for her anger. Still, it worried him – her control felt brittle, a hair away from snapping.

Before he could figure out something to say, though, Shunsui stepped forward. "In that case, lead on," he replied gaily, as though he didn't have a care in the world. "A drink after a long journey is always welcome." He resettled his pack on his shoulders and brushed at his gi in a futile attempt to remove some of the dust from the days of traveling.

Juushiro glanced sidelong at him as they followed Rei through the narrow, twisty streets in the less reputable parts of the Seireitei. His reiatsu, like Rei's, had taken on a brittle hardness, full of anticipation and a hot, bloody anger. _Shunsui, be careful_ , he told his roommate silently. _Don't let your temper overcome your reason_.

Yet he, too, felt more than a touch of anger rising as they approached the rundown tavern with a picture of a foaming beer hanging over the door. _If this Yukio caused Mika's death_... He forced himself to cut the thought off before it fully materialized, ashamed at his own hypocrisy. _Stop it_ , he ordered himself firmly. _Don't leap to conclusions_.

Yukio turned out to be a thin, rat-faced man with greying hair and scraggly whiskers, clad in a dark brown yukata that had been patched several times. He greeted them at the door to the tavern with an obsequious bow, biting his nails as he led them to the table in a secluded alcove where their friends sat. "Please, okyakusama, be seated. I will get you drinks."

As he scurried away, Ryuu stood and waved at them. "Kyoraku, Ukitake, welcome back!" His cheeks bore a faint tinge of pink already, though he enunciated his words clearly.

Taro nodded. "Good to see you both." Both Aono and Hikaru smiled and waved, as well. Hikaru scooted over so Rei could take a seat next to him, tangling his fingers with hers when she did so.

The physical contact sent a perceptible wave of relaxation through her reiatsu. Her shoulders lost some of their rigidity, and she allowed herself to slouch a minuscule amount. "Now that you're here..." She turned to Koji, who was sitting half in the shadows with his back against the wall. Unlike the rest of the group, whose bright kimonos stood out like orchids in a bed of weeds in the dingy tavern, he wore a plain green yukata with no ornamentation. "Why don't you explain what you've learned?"

The commoner nodded and leaned forward. "After Kuchiki-san tracked down Yukio in the Kuchiki records, I went here to find out why his name came up. We weren't sure he was the right Yukio, cause there were a couple more, but he was the closest, and the most likely." He took a sip of the beer in front of him, then lowered his voice. "Turns out, this tavern's a place where most anything can be bought, for the right price."

Juushiro glanced around at the other patrons. Most had the rough garb of common laborers, though a few wore more upscale clothes. This early in the evening, only a few tables were filled, but no one seemed too suspicious. "How do you know that?" he asked, careful to keep his voice low.

Koji snorted. "Cause Yukio boasted 'bout it when he figured I had a zanpakuto." He self-consciously stroked the katana lying across his lap. "He figured I had coin to spare, and wasn't too picky 'bout where I spent it if I were in his tavern. So I let him keep thinking that." His lip curled. "After a few drinks, I started complaining 'bout some of the noble brats at the Academy, trying to make out like I might be interested in revenge on them. Didn't wanna say it outright, though."

"Sato, that's brilliant!" Ryuu enthused, downing the last of his beer.

He shrugged. "Maybe. Anyway, he said he might have something to help, if I wanted. Something he called hollow bait."

The words sent shivers down Juushiro's spine. Hollow bait... who would ever invent such a thing? What possible legal use could it have?

Shunsui tensed with anticipation, eyes narrowing. "So? Did you ask him who else bought it?" Heat surged through his reiatsu, electrifying the air around him.

Before Koji could answer, Rei smirked. "Apparently, hollow bait isn't too popular, seeing as there's a decent chance you yourself will get caught by the hollows. But someone with shikai wouldn't have that worry..." Her humorless grin widened. "Narrows the pool down some, doesn't it?"

A suspicion began to form in Juushiro's mind. He glanced at Koji, who was scowling into his beer. "Yukio said the only customer in the past couple months was a tall, heavily muscled guy carrying a whip. Said he could feel the guy's spirit pressure from the doorway."

Rei's expression bore far too many edges to be called a smile. "Looks like your old friend Gorou Shiba's back in town, doesn't it?" She ran a finger over the hilt of her katana. "I guess he didn't learn his lesson when he got kicked out of the Academy."

She fell silent as Yukio hurried over, bearing a trio of beers that he handed to the group. Juushiro sniffed his, then pushed it aside – he didn't want to be impaired right now. Why would Gorou send hollows to attack the squad? Was he looking for revenge on Shunsui and Juushiro? He tapped his fingers on the table. It would make sense...

As Yukio scampered away, Rei leaned forward. "I heard his daddy refused to give him a position in the family division, said he didn't need a drunken layabout for a soldier." Vicious satisfaction edged her tone.

Ryuu snorted. "My cousin said he's been haunting the taverns, picking fights. Completely lost it."

"How do you know it was him?" Aono asked with a frown. He glanced around, then pushed a lock of black hair out of his eyes. "Are you sure?"

Rei leaned back against the wall and spread her hands. "That's why I brought you all here, so you could hear the description for yourselves." She snapped a hand at Yukio, who scurried over. "Tell them what you told Sato," she ordered.

Yukio bowed. "Yes, of course. The man was about this tall..." He indicated a spot above his head. "...and broad-shouldered. Carried a spiked whip at his side. And..." He paused for effect, only to hurry onwards when Rei narrowed her eyes at him. "...his reiatsu practically glowed around him."

"What color was it?" Shunsui demanded, hands clenching into fists.

"Orange," Yukio replied, shrinking back.

Shunsui's spirit energy flared, slamming the tavern-keeper to the ground. "Shiba. He's going to pay for this," he growled.

Juushiro pushed back against the pressure of Shunsui's reiatsu with his own spirit energy, then laid a hand on the furious student's wrist. "Shunsui, calm down," he urged. "You're suffocating everyone." The other patrons were shaking like leaves in a gale, while the squad members struggled for breath. Only Koji, with more spirit energy than any of the other students, breathed easily.

Shunsui bared his teeth. "You can't be serious."

Juushiro tightened his grasp. "Look around. Think, dammit!" One of the other patrons collapsed to the floor, clutching his throat with both hands. Another swayed dizzily on his knees.

Shunsui blinked. "What?" He glanced around the room, then winced. "Ah, sorry," he muttered, hastily furling his reiatsu.

Yukio picked himself up from the floor and dusted himself off, keeping a wary eye on Shunsui. "Ah, is that all, okyakusama? May I go now?" He shuffled his feet, hands clasped in front of his chest, then darted away when Shunsui nodded.

Koji scanned the room with a frown. "We'd better get outta here," he told the group, eyes flicking towards the door. "That'll attract attention of the kind you don't want."

Rei tossed her head. "Fine. Let's go find Shiba, then, and make him pay." She rose to her feet, one hand wrapped around the hilt of her katana, and Hikaru followed suit.

Taro rose, as well, but raised his hands. "Don't be hasty," he urged, blocking Rei's path to the door. "You can't kill him."

"Watch me," she snarled back, shoving him out of the way. Her reiatsu crackled around her, sparking whenever it came in contact with the other students.

 _Oh, this isn't going to be good_ , Juushiro thought to himself as he rose to stand next to Taro. The muscular student glanced at him, then nodded slightly before turning back to face Rei and Hikaru. "Both of you, calm down." He spread his hands, careful to keep them away from the sword at his waist. "We can't take justice into our own hands like this."

Shunsui shot a betrayed look at him. "For kami's sake, Juu, he killed Mika!" He ripped the pink armband off of his bicep and clenched his hand around it, lifting it high. "You can't be serious!" His reiatsu began to rise again, whipping through his shihakusho as it swirled around him.

Juushiro's heart ached to hear the pain in Shunsui's voice, but he stood firm. "We don't know that for sure. And besides, he's a scion of one of the Five Noble Houses – any attack on him will end with us executed." Beside him, Taro nodded in silent agreement.

Light flared in Rei's hazel eyes. "He's not the only scion of a great house," she spat, curling her hands into claws.

Shunsui rose to stand at her right shoulder, knuckles white. "So we let him get away with it?" His hand clenched tighter around the armband. "Besides, Kuchiki's right. There's no way they'll execute her – they'll probably applaud her for avenging the death of her best friend!"

"No, they won't," Juushiro shot back swiftly. "You really think any of the nobles would be happy that a young woman took out a trained shinigami? Assuming she could." The last words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them, and he winced.

A second later, Rei's hand cracked across his face. "You, Ukitake, are a coward," she hissed, cheeks pink with rage. Her hand drifted towards her sword, then stopped and balled into a fist. "Get out of my way."

Juushiro gasped as her punch smashed into his solar plexus, driving the wind out of him and sending him to his knees. Rei sailed past him, head held high, followed by Hikaru and Ryuu. Shunsui, after a glance at Juushiro composed equally of guilt and betrayal, followed.

 _Stupid_ , a voice inside Juushiro's head commented. _You shouldn't let your guard down like that_.

Juushiro winced. _True_ , he replied. _But she needed to hit someone, and I didn't want to start a brawl in the middle of the tavern_. And maybe part of him felt like he deserved the accusation, deserved the pain. What sort of noble cared more about the law than honor?

Taro reached down a hand and helped him to his feet. "A sensible one," he murmured, and Juushiro realized that he'd asked the question out loud.

Aono, who'd been silent the whole time, nodded. "Besides, like you said, we don't even know that Shiba actually did anything." He gave them both a crooked smile. "From a legal standpoint, we don't have anywhere near enough evidence to act on, though of course it's rarely that simple."

Koji snorted. "I'm guessing you can't just beat the truth outta him?"

The thought provoked a smile from Aono. "No. If he was a commoner, a magistrate could order him to be tortured until he confessed, but, as a scion of the Shiba clan, common magistrates have no jurisdiction over him. If he truly committed a crime, his family will handle discipline, or they can remand him to a tribunal composed of members from all Five Noble Houses." He held up a finger. "Given that one of the plaintiffs in this case would be Rei Kuchiki, another child of a great house, the latter would be far more likely." He sighed. "Which, really, Nakamura should realize, as law is his specialty."

Juushiro bit his lip. "Love makes people do funny things," he murmured. Judging by his expression as he walked out, Hikaru would follow Rei all the way to Hueco Mundo if she asked – winter break must have marked a turning point in their relationship.

He wrapped his arms around his stomach. _Winter break changed a lot of things, it seems. But how many of those changes will survive now that we're back here?_ Would his fledgling relationship with Shunsui survive? Or would this new conflict shatter those gossamer bonds?

Taro patted him on the shoulder. "Cheer up, Ukitake. We'll get through this."

Juushiro tried to smile at the certainty in his friend's voice, but the sentiment wasn't there. "How?" he asked softly, staring at the ground. "How do we fix something like this?" If they tried to stop their friends, Gorou would get off scot-free – an outcome none of them could accept. But if they let Rei and Shunsui get their revenge, the two would end up in jail or executed. Juushiro refused to accept that outcome, as well.

Koji lifted an eyebrow. "Not by moping," he pointed out. "We gotta stop them before they do something dumb, an' we can't do that by standing 'round here."

"What if we find Shiba first?" Taro suggested. "We could, I don't know, try to get him to confess? Or turn him over to the magistrates?"

"The magistrates will simply hand him back to his family," Aono reminded him. "But that's not a bad idea." He hesitated. "If we can get him off the streets, even for a bit, we might be able to talk some sense into the rest of the squad."

Juushiro bit his lip. "I hope so." Then he shook his head at his own foolishness. _Shape up, baka. This isn't a disaster yet, but it'll become one if you keep acting like this_. "Alright, stand back." He took a deep breath and knelt, sketching a circle on the sticky floor. _Let's hope I can remember how to do this_. "Heart of the south, eye of the north, fingertip of the west, heel of the east, carry the wind and gather, banish the rain and disband. Bakudo 58: Kakushi Tsuijyako!" As he chanted, he sketched the appropriate characters in each of the four quadrants of the circle, then sent a blast of reiatsu into it to activate the kido.

The other students clustered around him as the circle flared with blue light, symbols whirling around until finally settling on a single set of katakana describing the location of Gorou Shiba. "Kami, when'd you learn to do that?" Aono asked incredulously.

Juushiro's cheeks pinked. "Shihoin-sensei taught me," he murmured without lifting his eyes from the kido's result. "It doesn't require much power, just a lot of precision, which is why it's not taught in the regular classes." He lifted his head. "Shiba's not far. Let's go."

They found the former student stumbling out of a brothel, hitching up his hakama as he screamed imprecations over his shoulder. The reek of sake drifted ahead of him, along with fainter scents of sweat and unwashed clothes. Juushiro wrinkled his nose as he stepped forward. "Shiba-san. We have some questions for you."

Gorou blinked at them. "Huh? Who..." He shook his head, peered at them again, then spat on the ground. "Fuck off, faggot." He swayed on his feet, one hand groping for the whip strapped to his hip. "Or I'll... I'll..."

"For kami's sake," Aono sighed as Gorou toppled forward, catching himself at the last second with an outstretched palm. "I don't believe this." He made a face, then stepped forward and grabbed Gorou's bicep in a bruising grip. Taro followed suit on the other side. "Let's get him out of here."

A few shunpo steps took them to the roof of Yukio's tavern, where they deposited a groaning Gorou a moment before he heaved up all the contents of his stomach. Aono and Taro jumped back, swearing. "Pitiful," Aono observed.

While Gorou moaned under his breath, Juushiro extended his reiatsu and snapped a shield into place over the rooftop. "We should be safe now," he informed the group. "No one can sense our spiritual pressures while the shield remains intact." That should buy them some time to deal with Gorou in peace, without the interference of the rest of the squad.

Koji prodded Gorou with a toe, rolling him away from his own vomit. "You wanna talk now?" he demanded.

The former student lifted his head and groaned. "What'd'ya want?" he slurred, reaching again for the whip at his side.

Koji caught his wrist before his fingers could close around the weapon. "None of that," he ordered, tossing the whip away. As soon as it lost contact with Gorou, it reverted to its base katana state, landing with a clatter on the tiles.

Aono took a step forward. "Did you purchase hollow bait in the month before the winter solstice?" he demanded, hand hovering near the hilt of his zanpakuto.

"Huh? Hollow... oh." To Juushiro's surprise, Gorou's shoulders crumpled. "Yeah," he mumbled, gaze fixed on the tiles in front of him. Orange reiatsu, streaked with black, swirled sullenly around him.

Aono folded his arms. "Why?"

"Not telling," Gorou muttered, sounding more like a toddler than a grown man. Juushiro might have pitied him, had his actions not let to Mika's death. As it was, though, the sight of him turned Juushiro's stomach.

Koji kicked Gorou in the gut, and he curled in on himself, retching. The commoner rolled his eyes. "You might wanna start talking," he pointed out sardonically.

Aono glanced over, mouth open to protest, then shook his head. "Why did you purchase hollow bait?" he asked again.

Gorou uncurled, still clutching his stomach. "I swear, I never, never meant for anyone to die! I swear!" He dry-heaved, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Tears began to trickle down his cheeks.

"So what did you intend?" Aono asked, mustering far more patience than Juushiro felt capable of at the moment. Anger, unsettling in its force, burned within him. What in kami's name did he think would happen when he used the bait? Was he just not thinking at all? Or was he lying now?

Considering his current state of inebriation, Juushiro wasn't sure which was more likely. But he had a hard time believing that Gorou could have had an innocent purpose for the hollow bait. Hollows were killing machines, nothing more. "Were you trying to get revenge?" he demanded.

Gorou whimpered. "No! No! I just..." More tears spilled down his face. "No one was supposed to die, alright?"

"What. Did. You. Intend?" Aono folded his arms across his chest. "Why did you use the hollow bait?"

But Gorou only repeated his previous statements. No amount of questioning could retrieve a more coherent answer from him, even after several more kicks. He just folded around the blows, tears flowing freely, and insisted that he hadn't meant to harm anyone.

At last Juushiro raised a hand. "We're not going to get any more answers from him," he pointed out. "At least not while he's this drunk. Let's hand him over to the magistrates, get him off the streets for tonight, and see if we can talk to him in the morning." He glanced at the prone form of the older student, stomach twisting uneasily. If he was honest with himself, he wasn't comfortable with the way they'd tried to get information from Gorou. _He may deserve the pain, but we don't know that. And I'm not sure we should be the ones to punish him, even if he did do it_.

Aono hesitated, then sighed. "You're probably right." He grabbed the back of Gorou's shitagi and hauled him upright, shaking him like a mother cat disciplining a kitten. "Hear that? Unless you give us an answer now, we're turning you over to the magistrates."

Gorou shook his head weakly. "Not supposed to die," he slurred, before clapping a hand over his mouth. Aono hastily dropped him as he started to retch, losing the remaining contents of his stomach.

Taro heaved a sigh. "The nearest magistrate's office is in Meguro District, I think." Once Gorou's heaves stopped, Taro hauled him to his feet and slung an arm around his shoulders. "Let's go."


	22. Falling Into Pieces

**Chapter 22: Falling Into Pieces  
**

They were a block away from the magistrate's office when a blast of all-too-familiar reiatsu washed over Juushiro, followed by a voice colder than the northern sea. "Now what are you four doing?"

Juushiro glanced up to see Rei standing on the roof of the cookshop on the street corner, hands propped on her hips and power swirling around her. Shunsui stood to her left, reiatsu boiling – it had been his spiritual pressure Juushiro had felt – while Hikaru had assumed a position at her right. Ryuu hovered behind Shunsui, bouncing on his toes with excitement, though a trace of guilt lingered on his face.

Rei jumped lightly down to the street and prowled forward, one hand resting conspicuously on the hilt of her zanpakuto. "I'll ask you again. What are you doing here?" Her eyes narrowed. "And how did you find _him_?"

"We're taking him to the magistrates," Juushiro replied steadily. "He admitted to buying hollow bait – they're the best ones to deal with him."

Before he could blink, Rei's sword was out and at Gorou's throat. The semiconscious dropout whimpered as the blade nicked his skin, sending a thin rivulet of blood trickling down his neck. "Didn't mean…" he mumbled, eyes drifting shut again.

Rei's throat worked as though she wanted to spit. "Didn't mean what, asshole? Didn't mean to get caught?" She flicked her sword, drawing another red line down his throat. "Go on, Shiba, tell me what you didn't mean. Tell me you're completely innocent, that you didn't mean to kill my best friend." Her hand shook. "Tell me!"

Gorou lifted his head, eyes blurry. "No one was supposed to die…"

Rei twitched her blade. A third cut, deeper than the first two, appeared on Gorou's neck, and Juushiro's shook his head. "Enough." Wrapping reiatsu around his hand, he pushed Rei's zanpakuto aside. "Don't do this."

"Still a coward, I see," Rei hissed, leveling her blade at Juushiro's chest. "Maybe that illness of your makes you too weak to be a shinigami, after all."

Juushiro did his best to ignore the way the words stung. _She's furious and hurting_ , he told himself. _She doesn't really mean it_.

Then Shunsui's voice rang out from the rooftop. "You know, maybe she's right."

Juushiro's heart started to pound as Shunsui leapt down from the roof, landing next to Rei before taking a step forward. "Shunsui…" He tried to catch his lover's gaze, but Shunsui's eyes were fastened on Gorou. Reiatsu, thick with the crimson-edged brown of anguish and guilt, filled the air around him.

Shunsui shook his head. "I thought you'd understand, Juushiro." His voice hardened. "I thought you'd have the guts to do what's necessary."

Only iron self-control kept Juushiro from flinching. "This isn't necessary!" He spread his hands slowly, painfully aware of Rei's blade at his sternum. "This is… this is madness!"

"Madness?" Rei's voice cracked. "No, Ukitake." She shook her head. "This is justice."

Unexpectedly, Koji snorted. "Sure, if we were in the Rukongai." He strolled forward, gathering his spiritual pressure around him like a cloak. "But I guess you nobles, for all your airs, ain't any different from us after all." He folded his arms across his chest. "So go on then. Get your revenge. Maybe your family can buy you protection from the law you all like to talk about so much."

Rei paled, eyes glittering dangerously. "You don't know what you're talking about." She lifted her chin. "A Rukongai brat like you could never understand."

Koji took a step towards her, arms falling down to his sides. "Oh?" He lifted an eyebrow. "You think you're the one who's ever lost someone, is that it? You think you're the only one who's ever wanted revenge so bad your blood burns with the hunger for it? Huh?" He leaned towards her.

Rei took a half step backwards, then tossed her head. "This is different."

"Not from where I'm standing, it ain't." Koji rolled his eyes. "But sure, you go ahead and tell yourself that, if it makes you happy. Kill a man too drunk to stand on his own two feet, and see if you feel better." Something dark flared in his eyes. "I promise you, it don't work like that."

As Rei struggled to come up with a retort, Juushiro gently pushed her blade down. "Please, Kuchiki-san. Let the authorities handle this."

It was the wrong thing to say. Rei's hazel eyes darkened as she glared at Juushiro, swinging her sword back up. "The authorities?" She laughed. "You think some magistrate in the Meguro District is going to do anything but send him back to the bosom of his family?"

"Where he's in disgrace," Taro reminded her softly.

She laughed again. "If you think that means anything, you're a fool, Kannogi. They might not approve of him right now, but they'll never stand for him to be executed. He's blood – their blood. And with shikai, no less. They won't allow him to be punished like a common criminal."

"If his actions bring disgrace on the clan, they'll execute him themselves," Taro argued, more heat in his voice than Juushiro had ever heard before.

Shunsui barked a laugh. "Oh, sure, if we had evidence of high crimes or treason. But…" He spat onto the street. "We don't. And we aren't going to get it by handing him over." He fixed his eyes on Juushiro. "Don't you want him to pay for what he's done?"

"What we think he's done," Juushiro corrected, fighting to keep his tone even. "As you pointed out, we have almost no evidence!" Despite himself, his voice was rising. Taking a few deep breaths, he forced it back into a normal register. "He confessed to buying hollow bait – that's it. We don't even know if he used, or, if he did, where he used it, or for what purpose. And a drunken confession is hardly valid evidence." He swallowed hard. _Especially when we basically tortured it out of_ _him_. He threw a guilty glance at Gorou. _Admittedly, it was nothing compared to what the magistrates would do to a commoner, and I'm sure he sustained worse injuries in class almost every week. But does that make it okay?_

Something inside him resisted the idea, but the coldly pragmatic part of him disagreed. They'd done no permanent damage, after all – Gorou's bruises would be healed in a couple days, and his hangover would probably cause him more pain. And his confession could be the key to solving Mika's murder. Could Juushiro really have lived with himself if he'd forgone the opportunity to gain that clue?

 _But we deliberately injured an unarmed, defenseless man_ , his conscience whispered. _Your parents taught you to protect those weaker than you, remember? Always take the honorable road, even when it's harder_.

 _Doesn't Mika also count as one of those you're supposed to protect?_ his zanpakuto asked, voice laden with innocent curiosity. _Besides, Shiba's not exactly weak. We can taste his spiritual pressure, and_ … Juushiro got a sense of disgust. _It's all bitter, but it's strong_.

Heaving a sigh, Juushiro pushed the ethical quandary aside as Shunsui folded his arms across his chest. "Don't you think it's a bit much of a coincidence?" He practically snarled the last word.

Rei tossed her head. "Of course it is. Ukitake simply doesn't have the spine to admit it." She drew little figures in the air with the tip of her zanpakuto as though she was tracing the cuts she wanted to draw on Juushiro's skin, then held up a finger. "One. We know he purchased hollow bait." Another finger joined the first. "Two. He admits to using it." She bared her teeth as the third finger went up. "Three. He keeps saying that he didn't intend for anyone to die." Her eyes narrowed. "How much evidence will it take, Ukitake? A signed letter where he explains every single step he took, every single reason why he wanted Mika-chan to die?" As quick as a striking snake, she lunged past Juushiro and backhanded Gorou across the face. "Would that finally satisfy you?"

Taro pulled Gorou out of the way, putting his own body between the older student and Rei. Aono stepped up to Taro's side and frowned. "Kuchiki-san, please." He hesitated for a long moment, then shook his head. "None of us are above the law here, no matter our bloodlines. You know as well as I do that, should we bring this accusation against him, his family will be forced to call a tribunal. They will not be able to sweep this under the rug."

"Nor will they want to," Taro put in. "He's already out of favor with them. They would far rather avoid the stain of his dishonor by repudiating him, ensuring that all the blame lays squarely at his feet rather than falling on their clan as a whole."

Rei paused for a second, then snorted. "You don't know the high clans like I do." She brought her blade up once again, though aimed it at neither student directly. "Get out of my way." Her voice could have frozen a waterfall.

"Hey! What's going on here?"

The shout startled all of them. Rei dropped the tip of her blade as a uniformed shinigami strode forward, two more following him around the corner. "Nothing to concern you," she replied haughtily.

"Really." The shinigami in the lead, who bore the insignia of the Shihoin clan, rested his hand on the hilt of his zanpakuto. "Sheath your blade, soldier. Now!"

Rei's expression turned mulish, but she obeyed. Though, as a member of the Kuchiki clan, she outranked the shinigami, she was still just a student. Juushiro suspected that her family would be far from pleased if she was caught brawling in the streets like a commoner – a male commoner, at that.

The shinigami peered at Gorou. "Who is this? What happened to him?"

Before anyone else could answer, Juushiro stepped forward. "This is Gorou Shiba-san. He has confessed to illegal activities, and we are delivering him to the magistrate's office." He was proud of the way his tone remained level throughout the declaration despite the sweat beading on his brow.

"Well, what a coincidence." All three shinigami smiled humorlessly. "We're on assignment with the magistrates at the moment – we'd be happy to escort you there." His tone was dry – he clearly knew that Juushiro hadn't given him the full story, but had decided not to challenge them for now. Juushiro couldn't blame him there. He had no concrete evidence of any wrongdoing, and, as long as they obeyed him now, he had little reason to cause himself more work.

Juushiro bowed. "We'd be honored to have your assistance."

Rei and Shunsui exchanged glances. "Fine," Shunsui snapped, gritting his teeth. "We'll meet you back at the dorms." He looked over at the shinigami. "If that's acceptable."

The shinigami studied them for a long moment, then jerked his head in a nod. "You're dismissed."

As they vanished into shunpo, Juushiro felt his hands start to shake. He hadn't realized how on edge he was until the impending conflict dissipated, but now he could feel the excess adrenaline flooding his system. _That was_ … His stomach clenched into a tight knot. _Kami. What's going to happen to our team?_ Was there any way they could mend those bonds after this?

Taro threw a worried glance at him, and he realized that some of his inner turmoil was spilling out into his reiatsu. He hastily pulled the tendrils of spirit energy in as the leader of the shinigami sighed. "Alright, you four – five – follow me."

* * *

 _I can't believe he did that_. Shunsui slid the dorm room door shut with enough force to rattle the shelves. _That spineless, arrogant coward! Thinks he knows better than the rest of us just because he was born with a stick up his ass_. He slumped down on his cot and buried his head in his hands. _Dammit, Juushiro_ …

His hand was already clamped around the pink ribbon tight enough to turn his fingers white, but his hand made a convulsive move to tighten farther. He flinched as his nails dug into his palms. _Dammit_. One by one, he peeled his fingers free.

The armband looked small and forlorn lying in his callused palm, stained by road dust and wrinkled by days of nonstop travel. The bright pink felt obscene – far too bright in the darkened room, a spear going straight through Shunsui's heart.

He bowed his head. _Why, Juushiro? Why couldn't you listen for once? Would it really have killed you?_ A twisted sort of fury flared in his stomach. Juushiro had thrown away their best chance to avenge Mika – their only chance to get justice for her death. Yukio had been their only lead, and he had led them straight to Gorou. _But Juushiro couldn't… couldn't_ … Shunsui punched his cot. "Fuck!"

 _Why did you let him take the orange shinigami away?_ The zanpakuto's voice was cool. Why did you fail to fight for what you wanted?

 _I_ … Shunsui slumped back on the cot and pulled his pillow over his face. _Just go away, alright? I don't have the time to play your games right now_.

 _You have nothing but time_ , she replied, tone cooling down even farther. _Unless you believe that lying here and wallowing in your fruitless guilt is better. In that case_ … She sighed. _I truly don't know why I bother_.

Shunsui dug his fingers into his pillow. _I said, shut up_. He rolled over and bit his lip until it bled, fighting to push her voice deep into his inner world.

It failed miserably. _You are nothing more than a spoiled child_ , she informed him icily, radiating disapproval. _You fail to accomplish your primary goal, then, rather than doing something to further your plans, return to your room with your tail between your legs and proceed to sulk. Truly, what in the world do you think you're doing?_

Heat burned through Shunsui's veins. "Enough," he snapped, sitting back upright. "What do you want from me? What would you have done?"

 _I would have taken that sniveling drunkard and gotten the truth from him_ , she snapped. _Then we would have been done with this matter!_

Abruptly, she sighed. The room began to darken around Shunsui, and he looked around frantically. "Wait. What are you…"

The room dissolved before he could finish the sentence. An electric shock ran through his body as he landed with a thud in the oak wood hall, only feet away from the portrait of Mika. His eyes widened before he wrenched his gaze away. "Let me go."

His zanpakuto offered him a cruel smile. "If you want to go, leave." She waved a hand at the door set at the end of the hall. "I won't stop you." Her smile sharpened, gaining yet more edges.

Shunsui took several steps towards the door, then stopped. Though the fury in his blood was swamping his ability to think clearly, the malice in his zanpakuto's words still hit home. "Fine. What do you want?" He spun back to face her, folding his arms over his chest. He wasn't surprised to notice that he still held the pink armband, which had taken on the exact hue of the kimono in the painting.

Something icy flared in his zanpakuto's eyes as she prowled forwards. "What do I want?" She tilted her head to one side like a cat, letting her violet hair fall over the eye not covered by an eyepatch. "I want you to shape up. Stop letting your foolish desire for acceptance hold you back."

"That's not…" Shunsui started, but she cut him off.

"Don't lie to yourself. You and the Kuchiki girl could have taken that drunken imbecile if you'd really wanted him, but you hesitated." She sneered. "Why?"

A hundred reasons whirled through Shunsui's mind. They'd been a mere block away from the magistrate's office, and combat in the streets surely would have drawn unwanted attention… There was no guarantee that they could have won if a fight had broken out…. He'd been sure that he and Rei were convincing enough to prevail without violence…

But he knew those were all excuses. In reality, he had stayed his hand for one reason and one reason only – he hadn't wanted to cross blades with Juushiro.

His zanpakuto smiled triumphantly. "Now you begin to see." She tucked her hands into her voluminous sleeves. "You will never achieve your full potential if you cannot rid yourself of this desperate desire to please others." Her voice dropped as she leaned forward. "You're going to be strong, Shunsui, stronger than any of them. But only if you embrace that strength."

Shunsui's head was whirling. Everything she said made a sickening amount of sense, and yet… Juushiro's implacable face swam in front of his eyes. "But…" he managed. Was strength the only thing that mattered? What about loyalty, friendship, honor, love? Was he supposed to disregard all of those things?

"I know it's hard," she purred. "You care for your friends, and that is admirable. But you cannot let them drag you down the wrong path, the path of weakness and folly."

"How…" The word came out as a croak. Shunsui cleared his throat and tried again. "How do you know it's the wrong path? I mean…" He trailed off. Weak was not an adjective he ever applied to Juushiro, and yet, in this instance…

His zanpakuto's turquoise eye, the only one visible, darkened. "Of course it is." Her tone softened. "Following the law is all well and good for those too weak to do anything else, but you need not let that constrain you." The faintest hint of malice entered her voice. "Do not close your eyes merely because those around you are too blind to see the truth."

Shunsui's hands clenched into fists. "They are blind," he agreed, feeling anger rise in him once more. "I can't believe Juushiro really thinks that the Shiba clan will do anything! He'll get a slap on the wrist at best, a lecture about buying hollow bait, and then he'll return to his drinking and whoring." He bared his teeth.

"What would you do to him?" she asked, voice smoother than silk.

"I'd make him pay," Shunsui growled. "Execute him like the dog he is." Honor demanded a life for a life, and he would be more than happy to see that carried out.

But then Juushiro's face swam in front of his eyes again, and he hesitated. "That's justice, right?" he demanded, pushing his doubts aside. _It might not be legal, but it has to be right. Right?_ He shook his head.

"Enough doubts!" the lady snapped, mouth pressed into a thin line. "Do you want strength or not? Do you want to be able to protect people like her?" She waved a hand at the portrait. "Or do you want to spend the rest of your life as nothing more than a failure?"

Shunsui flinched, then pulled his shoulders back. Sullen heat began to simmer in his gut. "No. I'm never letting that happen again." He squeezed his hand into a fist around the pink ribbon. "I swear it."

"Good." His zanpakuto smiled. "Very good." Leaning forward, she plucked the ribbon from his hand and smoothed away the creases. "So you know what you need to do."

Shunsui bit his lip as she tied the ribbon back onto his bicep, tightening it with proprietary fingers. "I do?"

She stepped back and sighed, though the look in her eye was more gleeful than exasperated. "Finish your quest to avenge her, of course." She nodded at the portrait. "Don't let anyone stand in your way." Her eyes hardened.

Slowly, Shunsui nodded. "Yes." It wouldn't be easy, but… yes. Mika deserved vengeance, deserved to have her killer brought to justice. _And Gorou needs to pay for what he's done_. The Shiba clan was hardly likely to carry out that punishment, so they would take it into their own hands. That was the whole point of being a shinigami, wasn't it? Soul reapers protected the weak and avenged those who they failed to protect, so the spirits of the dead could rest in peace. To fail to avenge Mika would be a betrayal of the highest order.

And if that vengeance required working outside of the law? Shunsui's mouth stretched into a humorless smile. _Then maybe the law is outdated and needs to be changed_.

He nodded once again. Surely Juushiro would understand that. The pale student certainly had his own grievances with the injustices perpetrated by the legal system – once he realized that this was one more injustice, he'd surely come around.

Shunsui bowed to his zanpakuto. "Thank you. I am very grateful for your counsel."

She waved a slender hand as though to brush away his words. "No thanks necessary. Just don't falter again, and I will be pleased." She snapped her hand outward, and the hall began to dissolve.

Shunsui bowed again. "Still, I thank you," he murmured as blackness enveloped him. She had given him the key to the puzzle – surely everything would go smoothly from now on.

* * *

When he pulled open his eyes, he was obscurely disappointed to realize that only a few minutes must have passed while he was in his inner world. Juushiro was still nowhere to be seen – he was probably filling out paperwork for the magistrate, and would be for some time.

So Shunsui settled in to wait, hope burning a hole in his heart. Words ran around and around in his head, a thousand variations of arguments to convince Juushiro to give up his stubbornness and help Shunsui avenge Mika once and for all. Soon, unable to sit still, he started pacing, taking the occasional swig of sake to calm his racing heart.

Thankfully, he didn't need to wait very long. Less than a bell later, Juushiro slid open the door and slipped inside, only to freeze when he spotted Shunsui. "Ah…" He forced a smile. "You're still up."

Shunsui lifted an eyebrow. "It's not like I have anything else to be doing." He took a gulp of sake, grimacing as it burned its way down his throat.

"Ah." Juushiro turned away, letting his white hair hide his face.

Fury rekindled in Shunsui's veins. "Ah," he mimicked scornfully. "Is that all you have to say?"

"What do you want me to say, Shunsui?" Juushiro asked wearily, still looking down. His shoulders hunched slightly, as though expecting a blow. "An apology?" He sighed. "I did what I thought was right, and I don't regret it, so I don't know how much good an apology would do."

"Look at me, dammit!" Shunsui grabbed Juushiro's wrist. "Let's start there, shall we?" His fingers tightened. "You thought it was the right thing to do. Mind explaining why?" Words he had heard a hundred times from his father – they tasted like bile in his mouth, but he used them anyway, perversely satisfied when Juushiro flinched.

"Let go." His voice was soft, but carried an unmistakable iron core.

For a moment, Shunsui considered ignoring him. Something deep inside him wanted to see what would happen if he refused to let go, wanted the adrenaline rush of an all-out fight. Wanted, if he was honest with himself, the pain and violence that would accompany that fight. _Prove who's stronger once and for all_ …

"Kami, Kyoraku." Juushiro yanked free and glared at him, emerald eyes blazing. His reiatsu spiked for a moment, filling the air with the scent of the sea, before he deliberately tamped it down. "We can talk in the morning, when you're sober."

Shunsui gritted his teeth and forced his own spirit energy under control, tossing the empty sake jug onto his cot. "Running away again?" he taunted, taking a step into Juushiro's personal space. The slender student squared his shoulders and stared at him with no sign of fear, and Shunsui sneered. "That's basically what you did earlier, right? Too scared of confrontation to take the honorable path, the right path?"

Now, at last, Juushiro's calm façade cracked. "It wasn't the right path, and you'd know that if you weren't so blinded by your need for revenge." His voice cracked. "Mika. Is. Dead. And murdering Shiba in cold blood isn't going to bring her back." His hands clenched into fists.

"Damn you," Shunsui hissed, grabbing the front of Juushiro's gi. "It would let her spirit rest in peace!"

Juushiro's gaze softened. "Shunsui, her spirit has rejoined the great cycle. Killing Shiba might give you peace, but it's not going to matter to her."

"Don't you ever care about anything?" Shunsui tightened his grip on Juushiro's gi, though the shorter student had made no move to escape. "Don't you care that Shiba is running around right now, free as a bird, with Mika's blood on his hands? Or are you just proud of yourself for being a good little student and obeying the letter of the law?" Bitterness, thick enough to choke, welled in his throat.

"The law is what keeps our society stable," Juushiro spat back. "Without it, we would be nothing more than a bunch of warring clans forever at each other's throats." He took a deep breath. "You know what would happen if you killed Gorou? That law, the same law you apparently care so little for, would come after you. Then you'd be executed for the murder of the scion of one of the Five Noble Houses, and no one would be able to gainsay it." Another deep breath. "Of course, you could always challenge him to a duel. That'd be legal, but you'd end up just as dead."

"Thanks," Shunsui drawled.

"It's the truth." Juushiro's lips pressed together. "He's stronger, better trained, and has shikai. You wouldn't walk out of that alive." Pain flickered in his eyes.

"Maybe we need new laws, then," Shunsui growled.

Juushiro barked a laugh. "Laws that allow students to play vigilante, execute people on the basis of suspicion alone? Oh yes, I can see how that would be so much better than the current system." Now, finally, he peeled Shunsui's fingers away from his gi.

Shunsui snorted. "We wouldn't need new laws if the current ones had a snowball's chance in hell of punishing the guilty." He folded his arms across his chest, fighting the urge to grab Juushiro and shake him. "Face it, Juushiro, the magistrates aren't going to touch Shiba, and you know it. And, even if his family is forced to convene a tribunal, he won't get more than a slap on the wrist. How in kami's name is that fair?"

"Don't you think I know how unjust the current system can be?" Juushiro's reiatsu flared, fresh anger overlaying old, weary pain. "Trust me, I know that all too well. But flouting the law isn't the answer!"

"So what is?" Shunsui's voice rose. "I'm not going to sit here and do nothing while he gets away with murder!"

"I don't know!" Juushiro took an unsteady breath, then lowered his voice. "I don't know. But right now, we have no real evidence, and getting yourself killed based on wild supposition is definitely not it."

Shunsui's gut clenched. "Wild supposition?" His reiatsu writhed around him. "Shiba killed Mika, Juushiro, and you know it. I don't know exactly how yet, and I sure as hell don't know why, but I'm going to find out." He bared his teeth.

"Then find out!" Juushiro snapped. "Find some proper evidence!"

"I would have, but you ruined our best chance at doing so when you turned Shiba in," Shunsui growled back.

Abruptly, Juushiro's shoulders slumped. "I'm not going to apologize for that," he said again, taking a step backwards.

Shunsui snorted. "Well, I hope you're happy. I can't imagine how, but I hope you're happy." Another favorite phrase of his father's.

This time, Juushiro didn't flinch. Instead, he turned away and began to undo the ties of his gi top. "I can't say I'm happy, no, but I'm happier than I would be if you all had gone and committed murder. Is that what you want to hear?" He glanced over his shoulder. "Is it?"

"Fuck you," Shunsui growled, unable to come up with anything more coherent. He grabbed the sake jug off of his cot. "I'm going out. Don't wait up."

Without waiting for an answer, he stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him. If Juushiro wouldn't listen, fine. He didn't need that arrogant, prissy stick-in-the-mud anyway.

* * *

 **Author's Note** : Happy Thanksgiving to all my American readers! Also, EmpressSaix and speedfanatic05, you two are amazing for reviewing :)


	23. Precipice

**Chapter 23: Precipice  
**

Shunsui stumbled back to the room as the sun was rising, reeking of sake and perfume. A colorful bruise decorated the side of his neck, and his eyes were bleary.

Juushiro did his best to suppress the pang of jealousy that arose at the sight of that mark. _We never agreed to be exclusive_ , he told himself firmly. But it still felt like a betrayal. A sick lump lingered in his stomach, tightening his throat and flooding his veins with unwanted adrenaline.

It didn't help that Shunsui had evidently had a very pleasurable night, judging by the satisfaction in his reiatsu. If he felt any guilt over his actions, he showed no sign of it.

But his reiatsu contained few traces of the white-hot rage that had turned it into a conflagration only a few bells earlier, either, which Juushiro chose to take as a hopeful sign. Maybe he would be willing to listen to reason now, able to realize that hunting down Gorou like a mad dog was far from the only path to justice. That, in fact, such an act would be both dishonorable and illegal, sure to result in unfortunate repercussions.

Shunsui didn't bother to glance at Juushiro as he ambled towards his cot, undoing the ties of his shitagi as he went. Juushiro squashed another pang of jealousy as he tossed the garment on the floor, revealing red scratches all down his back, before flipping open his clothes chest and pulling out a clean gi top. He studied it for a moment, shoulders tensing, then shrugged and pulled it on.

Only then, as he turned around, did he break the silence. "Juushiro…" Tying the sides of the gi together, he let the word trail off.

Juushiro waited for a long moment, but Shunsui said nothing more. His throat worked as though the words were a fish bone stuck in his craw, unable to come out; a muddled blend of emotions filled his reiatsu. Anger, yes, but sorrow, too, and a poignant sense of loneliness and confusion.

At last Juushiro sighed. "What are we going to do?" Such a simple question on the surface, yet it distilled the essence of a dozen more, none of which had any good answers.

Shunsui sank down onto his cot. "I don't know." He glanced up at Juushiro. "I just don't know."

Juushiro bit his lip. Part of him wanted to cross the room, take Shunsui into his arms and just hold him until the heartbreak in his spirit energy went away, but he wasn't sure how such a gesture would be received. And, too, there was a little voice in the back of his head that said that maybe Shunsui deserved this. Maybe it would be good for him to feel the same sort of pain that Juushiro was feeling.

It was unfair and petty of him, he knew, but the thought still lingered. And Shunsui seemed to sense it, for he fidgeted, playing with the hem of his gi. Juushiro wrapped his arms around his waist. "Shunsui…" He took a deep breath. "I don't want to see you get hurt." He kept his tone as neutral as he could manage, holding his breath as he waited for Shunsui's reply.

The other student winced. "I…" He flattened his palm on his thigh and pressed down until pain flickered in his eyes. "Aren't some things worth a bit of pain?"

"Of course," Juushiro replied swiftly. "But this isn't one of them. Not when there are other, better ways to accomplish what you want – ways that don't end with your imprisonment or execution. Can't you see how self-destructive that it?"

Shunsui's eyes hardened. "Some things are worth dying for." He spread his hands. "I owe Mika this, can't you see? It's my fault she's dead. If, in turn, my death could bring her peace, bring justice to her killer, don't I owe her that much? Isn't that the honorable thing to do?" His hands clenched into fists, renewed heat beginning to bubble through his reiatsu.

"It won't!" Juushiro retorted. Then he paused, pulling a slow breath in through his nose. _Wait. This isn't helping_. He drew in another breath, gathering in the tattered edges of his reiatsu in the process. _We can argue until the sun goes down, and it won't change a thing. He's in too much pain to think sensibly, and I_ … A wry smile tugged at the corners of his lips. _I suppose I'm not in a listening headspace either_. But he didn't want to start yet another fruitless fight.

So he took one more breath, then deliberately let his muscles relax. "Right now, I don't think we have enough information to determine the best course of action," he said quietly. "Can we agree on that, at least?"

"We know Shiba did it. Isn't that enough?"

 _Actually, we don't know that, at least not with any degree of confidence. We have suspicions, but no concrete evidence_. But Juushiro kept that thought behind his lips. Instead, he spread his hands. "Don't you want to know why?"

After a moment, Shunsui's hands unclenched. "Sure, I guess. But he's not going to tell us." He snorted. "Kami, even if he wanted to, his family isn't going to let him incriminate himself." His mouth twisted as though he'd bitten into a lemon.

Juushiro hesitated. "Maybe he doesn't need to. Or, rather, doesn't need to do so voluntarily."

Shunsui's eyebrows rose. "Are you seriously suggesting we torture him?" He tilted his head to one side, a distant look in his eyes, before scowling.

Juushiro shook his head. "No. The magistrates wouldn't let us, for one thing. But…" He tapped his fingers on his leg. "I wouldn't be surprised if Shihoin-sensei knew a few of the forbidden kido meant to encourage truth-telling. Whether she'd be willing to share them…" He shrugged, and let Shunsui draw his own conclusions.

The flamboyant student bounded upright, reiatsu aswirl with excitement. "Then let's go ask her!" He started for the door.

Before he could think twice, Juushiro caught his shoulder and pulled him to a stop. "Wait." Shunsui threw a betrayed glance over his shoulder, and Juushiro forced a smile as he dropped his hand. "Let me go alone. She'll be more likely to share secrets if I'm the only one there." And even then, he was skeptical. Helping a student learn kido beyond their level was one thing, but teaching that same student forbidden kido? Kido that might not even exist outside of rumor? That was a whole other matter.

Shunsui's reiatsu flared, filling the room with the scent of plum blossoms. "What, and let you…" He visibly took a deep breath, furling his unruly spirit energy. "No." His crooked smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "You're right." He stepped aside, gesturing towards the door. "Just…" He shook his head. "Good luck."

Juushiro's answering smile was bittersweet. "Thanks," he murmured, sliding the door open. "I'll be back soon." And, with that, he slipped out the door.

Melancholy filled his heart as he headed towards the training grounds, where Shihoin-sensei was often found in the misty light of early morning. She liked to practice before the students were awake to watch, she'd told him once. It was easier to drill hakuda and zanjutsu without arrogant sixth-years challenging her, thinking they were better than her simply because of her gender. "Because I teach kido, they don't think I can fight hand-to-hand," she'd snorted, examining her lacquered nails. "Though I do enjoy teaching them a lesson, that gets boring after a while."

Juushiro could sympathize – he'd gotten more than his share of taunts and challenges over the years because of his illness and relatively low birth. Unfortunately, he didn't have decades of experience the way she did, and lost more often than not, until the challengers grew bored.

They'd continued to taunt him, though, until his friendship with Shunsui blossomed. Such barbs were less enjoyable when a scion of the Kyoraku clan might take offense, it seemed.

Juushiro sighed. Would they ever be able to mend the connection between them? So new and uncertain, gossamer-fragile… was this fight going to spell its end? He bit his lip. _I hope not, and yet… How do we move on? How do we heal?_ If their fight had taught him anything, it was that they had very different views on honor and justice in some ways. Would that be reconcilable, or would such fundamental differences eventually tear them apart despite their best efforts?

He grimaced. _You're forgetting one important fact – you don't even know if Shunsui wants to figure this out_ , he reminded himself, rounding the corner of the dojo. _Maybe he doesn't. And if that's the case, then that's his right_. It would hurt – Juushiro wasn't about to lie to himself about that. But, if that was Shunsui's decision, then Juushiro wouldn't fight it, either.

The whistle of an expertly-wielded zanpakuto brought him out of his melancholy thoughts. Leaning against the dojo wall, he felt a smile spread across his face as he watched Shihoin-sensei dance her way across the field, moving through one of the hardest kata as though it was nothing. With her zanpakuto in its sealed form, she ducked and wove and slashed, moving almost too quick to be seen. Each move was crisp and graceful, sword hissing through the air with each strike, only to stop, rock solid, with every block.

When she reached the end of the kata, she sheathed her zanpakuto and prowled over to him. "What brings you out here this morning, Ukitake?" She lifted one thin eyebrow. "Classes don't resume until tomorrow, you know."

He bowed. "I realize that, sensei, but I have a question for you."

He hesitated, and she chuckled. "Must be rather urgent, if you've tracked me down this early in the morning." Her expression sobered. "What's wrong?"

As she led him over to the low benches arranged at the edge of the field, Juushiro debated how much to tell her. While he would trust her with his life, she was still a sensei and a shinigami, sworn to uphold both the rules of the school and the laws of the land. Could he really tell her the full story?

But partial truths never failed to earn her disdain. "Don't give me excuses" was a constant refrain in her classes, issued whenever someone failed to complete their homework or show up for class.

So Juushiro sighed. "I have a problem," he explained, leaning back against the wall. "And I think you might be able to help. But…" He shook his head. "Let me start from the beginning." Then, as she watched with grave eyes, he laid out the whole mess, starting with Shunsui's determination to figure out what really happened the night Mika was killed.

When he got to the part about breaking into Yamamoto's office, she laughed. "So that's why you were in my office that day, looking like a hollow was about to jump out at you." She waved a hand. "Go on."

So he did, skipping over the encounter with the kirin to keep the story moving. Though he definitely wanted her advice on the matter – if anyone would know what the kirin had been talking about, she would – it wasn't relevant to the current dilemma.

Her eyes widened when he described the standoff between the two halves of their class, but she remained silent until he finished. Then she shook her head. "You've gotten yourselves into a major mess, that's for certain. But you're students, and that's what students do." She fixed her emerald eyes on him. "So what do you need my help with?"

Juushiro glanced down at his lap, toying with the hem of his sleeve. "Right now, we're trying to solve a puzzle that's missing half of its pieces," he explained softly. "We need more information. And Gorou Shiba is the only one who can give it to us." He bit his lip, still staring fixedly at his fingers.

Shihoin-sensei's eyes widened. "Ukitake…" She lowered her voice. "If you're asking what I think you're asking, those kido spells are forbidden for a reason."

"I know."

"No, you don't," she corrected swiftly. "Trust me, you really don't." She sighed. "Tell me, why are most forbidden kidos given that designation?"

Juushiro sat up straighter in instinctive response to her teaching voice. "Because they're too dangerous to both the caster and the surrounding area," he told her confidently.

She nodded. "Very good. But…" she raised a hand. "That's not the case for a minority of forbidden kido. Can you tell me why they might be forbidden?"

Juushiro frowned. I _t makes sense to prohibit kido that are potentially deadly to the caster, as well as kido that have a high likelihood of innocent casualties no matter how well-cast. But if it doesn't fall into either category_ …. He shook his head. "I don't know, sensei."

Her smile held no trace of warmth. "I wouldn't expect you to. Such kido are both rare and never spoken of, and for good reason." Her lips quirked. "These are kido that, in their infinite wisdom, the Five Noble Families have deemed too dangerous to the target. Not to the caster, but to the target." She gave him a hard look, tapping her nails on her thigh.

"But…" Juushiro's head swam. "The entire point of kido is to injure or kill an opponent. How in the world can a kido be 'too dangerous' to its target when that danger is the sole goal of the spell?" He shook his head.

Then, as she continued to stare at him, bit his lip. "You said that the Five Noble Families have outlawed these kido," he said slowly, turning the puzzle pieces over in his mind. "That's true for all of the forbidden kido, correct?" At least, that was what he'd always been taught. But something in the way she'd said it made him suspect something else was going on. The Shihoin clan was one of the Five, after all – if anyone would know the truths that the Five wanted to hide, she would.

He tilted his head to one side. "Were there, perhaps, ulterior motives behind the designation of these particular kido?"

Shihoin-sensei smoothed down the fabric of her shihakusho. "I can, of course, neither confirm nor deny any such speculation," she murmured, voice heavily flavored with irony. "But I invite you to consider why the Five might have a vested interest in prohibiting certain spells, such as the ones that compel truth."

"Politics." Juushiro rolled his eyes. "Kami save me from politics." More than ever, he was grateful that his family was comfortably far away from the Seireitei and the bitter political squabbles that went on there. This was a prime example – outlawing a kido because it could reveal whatever underhanded plots a clan was considering, when the kido could also do so much good? Juushiro couldn't comprehend that level of selfishness.

Shihoin-sensei's eyes lightened. "Now, they were right in one regard – these kido spells are not easy to cast. And a mistake can have…" She hesitated. "…messy consequences."

"Messy?" Juushiro asked quietly.

She shrugged. "Screw up, and you'll probably melt your target's brain. So don't screw up."

"Does that mean…" Juushiro started.

She rose to her feet. "I think this discussion is better carried out in my office, don't you?" He nodded, and she smiled. "Good, then you can carry these." With a wicked grin, she dumped a pile of painted stakes in his arms. "The second years are practicing bakudo tomorrow, and I'd hate for something to happen to their practice targets."

Juushiro rose as well, settling the bundle more comfortably in his arms. "Of course, sensei."

* * *

Juushiro left her office a bell later, head crammed full to bursting with the intricacies of a new kido spell. As she had warned, it wasn't easy – success required manipulating three different strands of spirit energy in such a way that they not only complemented the target's reiatsu, they actually resonated with it. If he could pull it off, Gorou would find the truth falling from his lips as though he himself had decided to tell it.

 _But, if I make even a tiny mistake, there's no coming back_. In the best case, Gorou would be reduced to the level of a child, scarcely able to tie his shihakusho without help. And in the worst, his brain would literally turn to ash.

Juushiro shivered. _I'd better not screw up, then_.

 _Maybe you'll get lucky, and he'll decide to share all on his own_ , the dual voices of his zanpakuto suggested.

 _Maybe_ , Juushiro told them silently. _But I'd rather be prepared for any eventuality_. They would only get one shot at this, for Shunsui was right – once Gorou was in the custody of his family, he would be forbidden to talk until the tribunal. And the Shiba clan would surely collect their wayward son as soon as the magistrates informed them of what had happened. So they had to move quickly.

Juushiro grimaced. _Which probably means we can't wait to collect everyone_.

Truthfully, that didn't both him too much. While he would have liked to have Taro at his back, the interview would surely go more smoothly without Rei there to fan the flames. And they truly didn't have time to gather up all seven of their squad members, plus Koji – Juushiro wasn't even sure where the common-born student lived. _So I hope Shunsui finds that acceptable_.

Thankfully, his roommate made no protest when Juushiro suggested going alone, merely scooping up his asauchi and sliding it through his sash. "Lead on."

So Juushiro did.

The trek back to the magistrate's office was accomplished in painful silence, neither student willing to be the first one to talk. Juushiro, for his part, didn't want to start yet another argument – and, with Shunsui's reiatsu seething with impatience, he suspected that an argument would be far too easy to start. But he mourned the loss of their easy camaraderie, the way they didn't have to talk to feel at home with one another. By contrast, this silence was prickly, full of jagged edges and yawning gulfs where words should have gone.

At last, a block away from the office, Shunsui broke it. "You do the talking," he suggested, drumming his fingers on the hilt of his asauchi. "They'll be more likely to listen to you."

Juushiro bowed his head. "Alright." And silence fell again as they walked the last few feet.

In daylight, the magistrate's office was a small, rundown building sandwiched between a laundry and a cookshop, guarded by a single shinigami slouched against the peeling paint of the door. He didn't bother to straighten to attention as they approached, though his eyes flicked over them, focusing on their swords before dismissing them as a threat. Juushiro suspected that their Academy uniforms played a large part in that assessment, as weapons were forbidden inside the city otherwise.

His eyes narrowed as they stopped in front of him. "Yes?"

Juushiro bowed. "We're here to talk to a man you're holding in custody – Gorou Shiba. May we speak with him?"

The shinigami frowned. "Why do you want to talk to him?"

"He's a former classmate," Juushiro replied truthfully. If the guard thought that they were there merely as friends, their job would be significantly easier.

"Your names?"

"Juushiro Ukitake and Shunsui Kyouraku." Juushiro bowed again, and Shunsui followed suit.

The shinigami studied them for a long moment, hand resting a bit too near his sword hilt for Juushiro's comfort. "Aren't you one of the ones who brought him in last night?" Suspicion began to replace the boredom in his eyes.

Juushiro did his best not to grimace. "Yes, sir." Let the shinigami think what he would of that answer – Juushiro wasn't volunteering any information unless he had to.

Before the guard could reply, Shunsui stepped forward. "We'd take it as a favor if you could give us ten minutes alone with him," he said smoothly, pressing a gold piece into the guard's hand. Two more followed, accompanied by a winning smile as Shunsui exerted his full charm.

After a long moment, the shinigami shrugged. "Fine. I can give you a few minutes with him, since his family hasn't replied to our message yet. But he'd better come to no harm in that time." He stepped aside and swung the door open, motioning for them to enter.

Shunsui pressed his hand to his heart. "You have my word on that."

Juushiro bit his lip as he followed Shunsui inside, blinking to let his eyes adjust as the shinigami closed the door behind them. _I hope we can keep that promise_. He ran through the steps of the forbidden kido again, fingers moving in the requisite patterns at his side. _No mistakes allowed_.

"This way," the shinigami told them, nodding at another shinigami sitting behind a desk. "Visitors for Shiba-san." The second shinigami, an older man missing an arm, nodded without looking up from the book in front of him, and their guide shrugged. "Follow me."

As they traveled deeper into the office, Juushiro pressed his sleeve over his mouth and fought the urge to cough. The air reeked of cabbage, stale urine, and sweat, underlaid by the faint scents of dung and vomit. Someone had made an attempt to clean up recently, as evidenced by the lack of dirt in the corners of the hall, but nothing could scrub away the ingrained smells from holding hundreds of short-term prisoners over the years.

Today, though, the cramped cells were empty apart from one on the far end, which contained a dejected-looking Gorou Shiba. The shinigami unlocked the padlock on the door and motioned them inside. "When you're ready to leave, just call out," he told them, clicking the lock shut again once they were both inside.

Juushiro bowed his head. "Thank you, shinigami-san."

Only then, as the slap of the shinigami's sandals departed, did Gorou look up from where he knelt in seiza. "What do you want?" His tone was dull, reiatsu a mere flicker of orange hovering just above his skin. Thick black streaks swirled around him, growing as Juushiro watched, until the orange was barely visible.

Juushiro knelt in front of him. "Shiba-san, do you remember last night?"

A hint of life flickered into Gorou's eyes. "What about it?"

"You said that you had purchased hollow bait from a man named Yukio," Juushiro reminded him. "Why?" He kept his tone non-confrontational, suppressing his reiatsu as much as he was able. Though Gorou was unarmed, while both Shunsui and Juushiro retained their weapons, provoking a fight would be counterproductive.

Gorou let his head fall forward. "Why do you care?" The black streaks surged higher around him.

Shunsui shifted his weight from foot to foot. "Juushiro…" he started.

Juushiro shook his head. "Not yet." He turned back to Gorou, who was now contemplating his hands as though he'd never seen anything so fascinating. "Where did you use the hollow bait?"

Gorou straightened his back and glared. "I don't have to tell you anything." A bit of his former arrogance entered his tone. "You're not even a noble, in truth; you're nothing but a jumped-up upstart who doesn't belong in the Academy." He sneered.

Juushiro bit his tongue rather than let his initial retort spill out. Once he had his temper under control, he sighed. "Shiba-san, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. Either way, you're going to tell us what we want to know." He began to summon reiatsu into his hands, plaiting it into the beginning of the truth spell. _I really don't want to use this_ … But, if Gorou didn't give him another choice…

Fear drifted through Gorou's reiatsu, though his face remained implacable. "What the hell are you talking about, Ukitake?"

Before he could answer, Shunsui grabbed the front of Gorou's gi. "Listen," he spat. "You don't have any bargaining power here. Either answer our questions now, or we'll force you to tell us everything." A humorless smile flickered across his face. "Personally, I'd prefer the latter, but there's no guarantee you'd emerge unscathed." He shook Gorou once, hard. "So, tell us. Where did you use the hollow bait?"

"It's none of your kami-forsaken business," Gorou hissed, peeling Shunsui's fingers off of his gi. Then he slumped. "Just go away and leave me alone, alright?"

Juushiro narrowed his eyes as the darkness in Gorou's reiatsu consumed yet more of his orange fire. "Shunsui, wait." He motioned for the other student to back off. "Shiba-san..." He spread his hands and searched for the best words. "You said that you didn't mean for anyone to die. What did you mean by that?"

Gorou's eyes, when he looked up, were wild. "No one was supposed to! I just needed a distraction, that's all. If the guards hadn't been so cursed incompetent, they'd still be alive right now – as would your friend." His mouth twisted bitterly.

Shunsui started forward at the mention of Mika, but jerked to a halt as Juushiro threw him a stern look. "What did you need a distraction for?" the pale student asked quietly.

"Again, none of your business," Gorou ground out.

Juushiro sighed. "I didn't want to do this," he murmured, half to himself. "But you leave me no choice." He spread his fingers and took a deep breath. _Weave the strands of energy into a braid, then tune the braid to resonate with the target's energy. Once the energy harmonizes, wrap the braid around the target_. Shihoin-sensei's words, stripped of her usual playfulness – Juushiro had never heard her sound so serious.

He exhaled slowly. _I can do this. Slow and steady_... One by one, the strands of energy came together, colors shifting in his mind's eye until they burned with a steady orange glow. He cautiously nudged them closer to Gorou, aiming for the few bits of orange still visible between the dark stripes. Shihoin-sensei hadn't mentioned anything about a target whose reiatsu was malformed or distorted, and he wasn't sure what would happen if the rope ran into the darkness. _But I suspect it wouldn't be good_.

Gorou sucked in a shuddering breath as the kido sank into his skin. His eyes went dead white as his head rocked backwards, and for a second, Juushiro wondered if he'd made a grave mistake. But then color bled back into the older student's eyes. He stared up at Juushiro with a disturbingly blank look on his face, head tilted slightly to one side as he blinked slowly.

Juushiro rocked back on his heels. "Shiba-san, why did you need a distraction?"

Gorou blinked once more. "I needed to get rid of the mirror." All life had been sucked out of his tone.

"Mirror?" Shunsui inquired harshly.

"The mirror that killed my mother." Again, his voice was toneless, though his reiatsu lashed out wildly as he finished the sentence.

Juushiro leaned forward. "What do you mean? How did a mirror kill your mother?"

"It showed her the truth – too much truth. She couldn't handle it." Gorou closed his eyes. "She couldn't accept what she saw, so she killed herself."

His words hit Juushiro like a katana blow. "That's..." He shook his head. "I am sorry for your loss." His stomach twisted. To lose a parent in such a fashion... He couldn't begin to imagine the pain it must have caused.

Then, as the initial shock of Gorou's revelation subsided, another thought began to worm its way through Juushiro's mind. A mirror that could drive people mad by showing them the truth? That was no simple kido – none of the spells that Juushiro was familiar with could do anything similar. And for the spell to be bound to a physical artifact? _Could this be the artifact that the kirin was talking about?_

But that was a puzzle for another time. "How did you get rid of the mirror?"

Gorou swallowed hard. "I hired Whisper to steal the mirror and take it far away. I promised that he wouldn't have any problems with the guards, that I would distract them. So I did." Again, his reiatsu flared. "They were supposed to deal with the hollows, kami take it! They weren't supposed to die and let the hollows through the patrol lines."

Shunsui lunged forward, seizing Gorou by the neck and driving him onto his back. "You bastard!" Juushiro hastily released the truth kido and grabbed Shunsui's shoulders as the bigger student growled, "You killed her!"

"Shunsui, stop it!" Juushiro snapped, attempting to haul him off of Gorou as he punched the older student in the face. "You're not helping."

Shunsui threw Juushiro off of him and drove his fist into Gorou's nose again. It shattered with a sickening crunch, blood splattering everywhere, and Shunsui reared back and punched him again. "You killed her!"

Juushiro wrapped his arm around Shunsui's neck in a choke that Kichiro-sensei had taught them before break, tightening his grip just enough to make the enraged student pause. "Enough!" Juushiro barked. When Shunsui began to struggle, Juushiro clamped down. Shunsui subsided, gasping for air as reiatsu flared wildly around him. "Shunsui, listen to me. We have enough evidence for the tribunal now. They won't let him go unpunished." Negligence leading to death of a noble wasn't a major crime, not like premeditated murder was, but Gorou would still be punished for his actions. Deliberate or not, his actions had led to the death of Mika Fujimoto, as well as the deaths of his family's sworn retainers – the tribunal would not be happy with him.

"He deserves to pay for what he did," Shunsui spat back, renewing his struggles.

Again, Juushiro tightened his grip, forcing his roommate to relent. "He will," Juushiro promised, strengthening his reiatsu as Shunsui's spirit energy lashed at him. "But now is not the time or place for vengeance." He gritted his teeth. "Please, Shunsui. Let the tribunal handle it."

Gorou choked on a laugh. "Yes, listen to the cripple." He spat blood to one side and glared up at Shunsui, a crazed look in his eyes. "You don't have the guts to do anything else."

Strangely, the taunts seemed to have a sobering effect on Shunsui. After a long moment, he allowed Juushiro to pull him off Gorou, reiatsu subsiding back to a sullen boil. "Go to hell." He spat on the ground beside Gorou's head. "I hope the tribunal exiles you to some forsaken island so you can have a lifetime to think about your mistakes."

As Gorou struggled to rise, Juushiro crouched down next to him. "One last question, Shiba-san."

Gorou's laugh sounded more like a sob. "And what makes you think I'll answer?" He coughed wetly, leaving his lips smeared with blood.

"Because, underneath all of this, you know what it's like to lose someone," Juushiro replied softly. "And I don't think your mother would want to know that her death had led to the deaths of other innocents. Is that really the legacy you want to honor her with?"

"You don't know anything about my mother," Gorou muttered, but his eyes shone with tears.

Juushiro bowed his head. "No. But you did." He paused, running through options in his mind, then asked the question burning in his mind. "What happened to the mirror, Shiba-san? What did you tell Whisper to do with it?"

"I told him to abandon it somewhere where no one would ever find it again," Gorou whispered, refusing to look Juushiro in the eye. "I don't know where it is now." All traces of orange in his reiatsu had disappeared by now, leaving nothing but the inky blackness of despair.

Shunsui knelt down beside him. "Tell us how to contact Whisper." It wasn't a question.

And, as tears finally slipped down his cheeks, Gorou told them.

* * *

 **Author's Note** : Breakups suck. Breakups because you're a secondary in a polyamorous relationship and the primary couple are having issues suck even more. Because that's been my last few weeks, I want to extend a special thank-you to the reviewers from the last chapter: sultryvoice, speedfanatic05, psunshine2, EmpressSaix, and A Guest! There were more of you this time - does this mean I should have the boys fight more often?

Seriously, though, thank you for the kind words; they helped keep me going as the rest of my life fell apart.


	24. To Mend A Broken Heart

**Chapter 24: To Mend A Broken Heart**

"We need to talk to Shihoin-sensei again," Juushiro announced as soon as they were out of the magistrate's office. "If anyone might know something about that mirror, she will." If they were lucky, she might even know how to safely disable it, which – assuming it was the kirin's artifact – could be essential.

Shunsui nodded, then grimaced. "Juushiro…" He caught Juushiro's hand and drew him into the entrance to the alley behind the office. "You were right. We did need more information." Hesitating, he looked everywhere but Juushiro's eyes. "I'm sorry."

The words were stiff, but Juushiro could sense genuine emotion behind them. He sighed. _Sorry for what, Shunsui? Sorry for the fights we had? Sorry for finding someone to hook up with last night?_ He pressed his lips together. Saying such things was unlikely to help, he told himself, but that didn't erase the hurt.

 _Then again, I didn't exactly behave perfectly either_. Another sigh slipped from his lips. "I am, too. You have a point – the laws are not always just, and sometimes we do need to take matters into our own hands." _Which, if I'm honest with myself, we did last night, and I can't really pretend otherwise. Yeah, we turned him over to the magistrates, but before that_... The hypocrisy made him feel sick to his stomach.

To his surprise, Shunsui shook his head. "No, you were right. I was too blinded by the need for revenge to see that killing Shiba wasn't the only path forward." Pain flicked across his face. "He still deserves to pay for what he did, and if the tribunal fails to give him an appropriate punishment…" He shook his head. "Well, let's hope they will."

"They will," Juushiro began, only to fall silent as Shunsui held up a hand.

"That's not really the point, though," the flamboyant student continued, uncharacteristically sober. "The point is, I hurt you, and I'm sorry."

Juushiro blinked at him, scrambling to marshal his thoughts into a semblance of order. "It's…" His lips quirked into a wry smile. "Well, I won't say it's alright, but thank you." He wasn't going to lie – though he was glad that Shunsui had apologized, his actions had still stung. _The argument was one thing – some of what he said hurt, but he was hurting too, and they were just words. But his actions afterwards?_ Juushiro bit his lip. He wasn't comfortable with the jealousy that rose up in him when he glanced at the marks on Shunsui's neck, but he didn't know how to address it. And somehow it felt petty to be worrying about a hookup when they had far more important problems to deal with. Yet the feelings stubbornly persisted.

Shunsui shifted his weight from foot to foot. "I know that might not mean much, but I really am sorry. I didn't want to hurt you." He glanced down, still unable or unwilling to meet Juushiro's eyes.

Juushiro sighed. "Shunsui, I'm not upset because of the argument we had – we're not always going to agree, and that's alright. Even my parents argue on occasion. But…" He hesitated. As it really worth dredging up the feelings from last night? Would it really help for him to explain, or would it backfire, putting Shunsui on the defensive?

 _Doesn't he deserve to know the truth?_ a voice murmured in his head, sounding simultaneously young and as ancient as the ocean. _Don't you think you're doing him – and yourself – a disservice if you attempt to minimize what's really bothering you?_

He bit his lip. "Arguments are one thing," he began, sorting his thoughts into a semblance of order. "But they don't need to involve personal attacks. And they don't need to involve…" He blushed. "I'm not sure what to say, because I don't know how you were feeling last night. But I felt hurt when you came back this morning with bite marks on your neck. And…" He twisted his fingers together, forcing the words to emerge. "I felt hurt when you assumed that I was acting out of cowardice." His cheeks heated. Admitting to pain caused by words was hardly an honorable thing to do – shinigami were supposed to be proof against such unworthy emotions. Flighty noble girls could be hurt by insults, but shinigami-in-training?

 _Think about that for a bit_ , the voices suggested dryly, and Juushiro flushed. They laughed, though not unkindly. _Do you really think words are powerless, unable to wound and heal in equal measure? And do you really have so little respect for the women in your life – your mother, your sisters, Rei?_ As Juushiro considered that, they added, _Also, consider this. You clearly feel the feelings that you just described, and denying them won't make them go away. Wouldn't it be better to embrace that and heal by doing so?_

Juushiro made a face. _I don't know if it works like that_ , he replied silently. _Wouldn't it be better to train yourself not to feel such petty things in the first place?_ A good shinigami would never let himself be distracted by unwarranted emotions.

 _Ah, but you're not an ice statue_ , the voices laughed. _You are merely human, and that means you feel. So embrace it_.

 _I don't want to get rid of all emotion_ , Juushiro argued back, twisting his fingers together. _But surely I can avoid feeling emotions that are unworthy of a shinigami_. The older shinigami certainly seemed to have mastered that trick, from what he could tell, so surely he could as well.

 _And who decides what is unworthy?_ The voices laughed again. _Emotion is information, youngling. You don't get to pick and choose which ones you feel. You can choose how you react to them, just as you choose how you react to any other form of stimulus, but you can't declare that you will simply stop feeling certain categories of feelings. That's like saying you won't ever feel the cold again_.

Juushiro hesitated, and the voices added, _What do you think would happen in that case?_

 _Um… winter would be more comfortable?_ he replied tentatively.

One of the voices, the one that sounded marginally younger than the other, snickered. _Sure. Then you'd get frostbite because you couldn't feel the warning signs telling you to go get warm. That sound like a great outcome to you?_

 _I guess not_ … Juushiro sighed. _But_ … He bit his lip. Saying that he didn't like feeling certain things felt incredibly immature, like something Isao might say when complaining about chores. _And, when I put it like that, I can see their point. Pretending that I'm not feeling hurt or jealous won't do anything to resolve the situation or prevent it from happening again_.

 _And if it keeps happening?_ the voices prompted.

 _We probably wouldn't be friends for much longer_ , Juushiro admitted, throwing a guilty look at Shunsui. It would be far from an ideal outcome if that happened – Juushiro's heart ached merely thinking about it – but, if they continued to argue and cut into each other, their friendship would be unlikely to survive the strain for very long.

A wave of approval washed over him. _Now you're starting to get it_.

As the silence stretched on, Shunsui fidgeted. "I'm sorry," he said again, a hangdog look on his face. "I wasn't thinking. I was…" He laughed uncomfortably. "Well, not thinking at all, honestly." The silence stretched uncomfortably long before he sighed. "I know I shouldn't have gone to that tavern last night, and I wish I hadn't. I just wanted a drink, and, then, well…" Uncharacteristically, he flushed.

 _And?_ part of Juushiro asked silently. _You just didn't think once?_

Juushiro firmly squashed the unwanted intrusion, but was left at a loss for words. "Shunsui…" He let the word trail away. What could he really say here?

Shunsui lifted his head. "Also, Juu-chan, you're the bravest person I know." His grey eyes locked onto Juushiro's green ones. "Ever since I started getting to know you, I've wanted to have that strength of spirit. I, well…" He faltered, eyes dropping away from Juushiro's for a brief moment. "Can you forgive me for what I said?"

As reiatsu laden with shame and sorrow swirled around Juushiro, he hesitated. _Can I?_ He wanted to say yes, but was that the wrong answer?

 _Listen to your heart_ , his zanpakuto whispered, echoed by the distant sound of the pounding surf. _What does your innermost spirit tell you?_

A faint smile drifted over Juushiro's lips. _I_ … He bit his lip. _Yes. As long as we care for each other, we can get through this._ He reached out and caught Shunsui's hand. "It'll be okay," he promised softly. "We can figure this out." Yes, it was their first real fight, and yes, both of them had been hurt by it, but that didn't mean they were doomed to drift farther and farther apart. He offered Shunsui a smile. "Right now, though, let's go see Shihoin-sensei."

Relief flooded Shunsui's reiatsu. "Yes. Right. Let's go." He squeezed Juushiro's hand. "And, thank you." He smiled tentatively.

Juushiro returned the expression. "You're welcome."

* * *

Shihoin-sensei snorted when she saw both of them standing in the doorway to her office. "Didn't I just talk to you?" She waved a hand. "Never mind. Don't just stand there, come on in." As they knelt in seiza in front of her desk, she leaned against the wall and folded his arms across her chest. "Now, what can I do for you?"

Juushiro leaned forward. "If you were going to make a kido spell permanent, how would you do it?"

Her eyes narrowed. "You can't." She studied her lacquered fingernails. "Why do you ask?" Though not precisely suspicious, a definite note of command had entered her tone.

Juushiro exchanged a glance with Shunsui. "If it's not possible, then it may not matter. But we recently ran into…" He hesitated. "Well, actually, multiple different sources described something that appeared to be a permanent kido of some sort."

"Describe it," Shihoin-sensei ordered brusquely.

"The better description concerned a mirror that apparently possessed the ability to show a person the truth. It's unclear how this is accomplished, though – as it's a mirror – I suspect the information is conveyed via images, rather than speech. The second…" Again, he hesitated. "I realize that this sounds fantastical. But… we encountered a kirin during the winter break, and it informed us that there was some sort of artifact in the area that was awakening things that should not wake. Calling to creatures that should not be bothered, as I understood it."

"Crying," Shunsui put in. "It was crying." He shifted uncomfortably on his knees.

Shihoin-sensei's shoulders tightened. "Crying."

It wasn't a question, but Shunsui nodded anyway. "Yes, sensei."

"And you know this how?" She spread her hands, posture deceptively casual.

Shunsui hunched his shoulders, gaze focused on his lap. "I could hear it – her, I think – in my dreams."

Though the kido master didn't move, her reiatsu chilled. "Were these dreams before or after this encounter with a kirin?" She raised a hand. "It's not that I don't believe you, but I need to ascertain all of the facts."

"Before," Shunsui told her quietly.

Her reiatsu sharpened. "Ah." She looked over at Juushiro. "What is your other source?"

Juushiro grimaced. "Shiba-san, sensei." He paused. "I know that may not seem like the most reliable source, but I believe he was telling the truth."

Shihoin-sensei frowned absently, returning her attention to her nails. "And he was the one who talked about the mirror?" She looked up. "I presume you have already entertained the theory that both he and the kirin were referring to the same thing?"

"I was hoping you might be able to shed some light on the available possibilities," Juushiro replied, pressing his palms into his thighs.

With a flurry of silk, she sank into seiza behind her desk, a deep furrow wrinkling her brow. "What I am about to say must not leave this room," she warned, fixing them both with a green-eyed stare. When they both nodded, she picked a fan up off of her desk and snapped it open. Juushiro gasped as a wave of reiatsu exploded outwards, illuminating the walls in brilliant gold before sinking into the wood and fading from sight. She smiled grimly. "There. We won't be disturbed now." Her smile faded. "I need you both to understand that this is secret for a reason." She glanced at Juushiro. "A much better reason than we discussed earlier."

Juushiro cocked his head to one side. "Forgive me for asking, then, but why tell us, if that's the case?"

He held his breath as she pondered her response. Part

* * *

of him regretted asking the question, for it could easily be the catalyst for a decision to leave them in the dark, but he needed to know the answer. Teaching forbidden kido was one thing, if the kido had been banned for political, rather than practical, reasons, but this sounded like something else altogether.

At last her expression lightened. "Because it sounds like you'll need the knowledge," she explained, folding the fan and placing it in her lap. "But…" Her reiatsu spiked. "If I ever hear even a whisper that you've used what I'm about to tell you, I can promise that you will not like the consequences."

Juushiro bowed his head, and Shunsui followed suit. "Understood, sensei," he murmured.

She nodded briskly, furling her reiatsu again. "Good. Now…" She steepled her hands in front of her face. "The first thing you must understand is that there is no way to make a traditional kido permanent." She turned to Shunsui. "Where does the energy to cast kido come from?"

"Ah, the caster?" he stammered uncertainly.

"So what would happen if you attempted to sustain such a kido indefinitely?" Her tone was casual, no different than her usual pedagogical tone.

Juushiro paled. "The caster would burn out," he supplied, swallowing hard. _That would be a nasty way to die_.

She nodded slowly. "Exactly. And, before think I'm exaggerating, trust me – it's been tried." She leaned forward. "However, in the course of such experiments, researchers discovered a different way to achieve their goal." A cynical expression twisted her lips. "Can either of you guess what it was?"

Juushiro glanced over at Shunsui, who shrugged and lifted an eyebrow. Juushiro shook his head. I _f you can't sustain a kido indefinitely, then I have no idea how you'd make a spell permanent_.

When neither of them said anything, she rocked back on her heels. "I'd be worried if you could, to be honest." She threw a glance towards the door. "They discovered that they could bind kami spirits – zanpakuto spirits – into the artifacts they were trying to make."

Juushiro gasped. "What? But how?"

At the same time, Shunsui gulped. "That's horrible." His hand drifted towards the hilt of his zanpakuto.

"Yes, very much so." Shihoin-sensei sighed. "Yet they did it anyway, and continued to do so for centuries, until at last the practice was banned. All the records pertaining to it were burned, so I can't be sure, but some sort of horrific accident may have played a part in that decision." She scowled. "Regardless, we only have fragments of information now – enough to know that the rituals needed to bind a zanpakuto to an artifact were blood-filled nightmares, but no more than that."

Juushiro frowned. "What happened to the artifacts that had been created prior to such a declaration?" Surely they hadn't all been thrown away.

"They were deemed too useful to destroy," she informed them, voice laden with irony. She shook her head. "Too valuable, in truth, and they even basically admitted it. But, over the years, the artifacts gradually faded from use. Some broke, or seemed to break; others were destroyed in various battles." Her lips quirked. "Yet more were stolen. But the primary clans still retain a good number of them." She glanced at Shunsui. "I'm sure the Kyoraku clan has several." Her eyebrows lifted, inviting him to answer.

He shrugged. "If we do, my father has not deigned to inform me of their existence." His lips twisted as though he'd bitten into a lemon. "Not that that's a surprise, you understand. Though I suspect, if we do possess something like that, Seiichi would know about it."

Shihoin-sensei wrinkled her nose. "Pity." She tapped the closed fan against her palm. "But, in the end, irrelevant. If this mirror is what I think it is, it's the only artifact you need to worry about right now." Her eyes darkened. "And you do need to worry about it."

"Why?" Juushiro leaned forward. "What aren't you telling us?"

An unreadable emotion passed over her face. "What do yo

* * *

u think happens to a spirit that is locked away inside an artifact for centuries?"

A wave of fear crashed through Juushiro. _No!_ Another wave, mingled fear and fury, followed, then another. _No!_

Juushiro rocked backwards on his heels, one hand going to the hilt of his zanpakuto. _No one is going to lock you away_ , he promised silently. _You're here with me_. Another wave, lesser in strength, poured through him, and he sent a wave of reassurance after it. _I swear on my honor_.

 _Cross your heart promise?_ the voices murmured.

 _Cross my heart promise_ , he told them, swallowing down a lump in his throat.

Shunsui gulped audibly. "It's…" He tilted his head to one side, eyes growing distant, then shook his head. "It's not good, is it?"

Shihoin-sensei shook her head, eyes lidded. "This is merely speculation, of course," she told them both. "But, consider this. To separate a zanpakuto spirit from its master, you almost certainly need to kill the shinigami – and, if the stories are accurate, kill is far too kind of a word for the brutality that was required. So the spirit would be unstable from the very moment of the artifact's inception. Add in centuries of loneliness, boredom, and rage, and you have a recipe for a very broken spirit."

Both Shunsui and Juushiro blanched, exchanging horrified glances. "So…" Juushiro pressed his palms into his thighs and let the sentence trail off.

Shunsui took up the thread when he paused. "No wonder the spirit in the mirror was crying," he murmured, thumb tracing circles over the hilt of his zanpakuto.

Shihoin-sensei nodded, and Juushiro cocked his head to one side. "But that leaves a big piece of the puzzle unsolved," he pointed out. "Why was Shunsui able to hear this spirit in the first place? Why did the kirin say that it was waking things that should not be woken? How is it reaching out beyond the mirror itself?" That was the part that he didn't understand – under ordinary circumstances, zanpakuto spirits could only communicate with their master. The entirety of their existence was spent in their master's inner world, only emerging when their master explicitly manifested them. And, then, they behaved exactly like physical beings. So how did the spirit in the mirror make contact with beings that had been sleeping for centuries?

The kido master hesitated. "I'll be honest with you, I don't know. I can venture a guess, given the way you've said Shiba-san described the mirror's powers, but I can't guarantee that I'm anywhere near the right track."

Shunsui laughed, though the sound was sickly. "Your guess is surely better than mine, sensei. What are you thinking?"

She lifted her hands. "According to Shiba-san, the mirror was showing his mother the truth of some sort, correct?" When Juushiro nodded, she frowned. "That means that it must have some way of determining said truth, unless it was simply lying. I suspect that the former is more likely, as a spirit that could verify truth would be incredibly valuable." She glanced at Juushiro. "A zanpakuto with an innate ability to cast that kido that I taught you, in effect."

He nodded. "Especially if the kido was banned before the zanpakuto's master was born, I could easily see the clans fighting over a power like that." A shiver ran down his spine. _I pity the shinigami who once possessed that zanpakuto_.

"Obviously, this is based on almost no evidence whatsoever," Shihoin-sensei warned. "But I would imagine that a zanpakuto that could do that must have possessed the ability to reach beyond its master's inner world even before being trapped in a mirror. So it doesn't surprise me much that it still possesses some form of that ability."

Juushiro nibbled on his lower lip. _Does that sound right?_ he asked silently.

He got a sense of hesitation in return. _Maybe?_ the voices replied, then paused. _But maybe not_. They sighed in unison. _It's hard to tell, since we can't hear it_.

Shunsui tapped his fingers on his thigh, eyes pensive. "How do inner worlds work, anyway?"

Shihoin-sensei laughed. "If I could answer that, do you think I'd still be teaching here?" She flipped her fan open. "No one has the faintest clue, as far as I'm aware."

Juushiro bowed to her. "Thank you, sensei." He did his best to smile. "This has been very valuable." Though they still had a number of questions, he could feel the answers coming together. _We know most of what happened the night Mika died, and we have a good guess as to what the kirin was talking about. Now we just need to find that artifact_ …

She lifted an eyebrow. "You're going to do something stupid, aren't you?" A brilliant smile crossed her lips as he glanced down. "Don't worry, I'm not going to try to stop you. But, be careful." Her lips quirked. "You're the most promising student I've had in a decade, and I don't want to lose you."

Juushiro blushed scarlet. "Again, thank you. You flatter me."

Shunsui snickered, then bowed. "I thank you as well, sensei. I'll try to bring him back to you in one piece." He threw a teasing glance at Juushiro, whose cheeks grew even hotter, then rose. "And don't worry." He slid the door open. "It won't be anything more dangerous than what we've already done."

* * *

Excitement boiled within Shunsui as they made their way back to their dorm room. _Finally!_ His hands clenched into fists. _We have to find Rei, tell her what we've learned, summon a tribunal to deal with Shiba. Surely they won't let this slip between the cracks_.

 _Calm down, baka_ , his zanpakuto ordered. _Or have you forgotten that punishing the boy is not your only task? Not even, for that matter, your most important one_.

Shunsui slowed. _What are you talking about?_

Scorn and irritation washed over him. _Don't you think you ought to do something about this mirror?_ Her mental tone was supercilious, but a hint of sorrow underlaid the arrogance.

Juushiro glanced over his shoulder. "Shunsui?"

"Sorry." Shunsui hurried to catch up. _Of course we're going to do something about the mirror_ , he told his zanpakuto impatiently, _but we've finally found Mika's killer_. He hesitated, an uneasy lump forming in his stomach. _Or, well, we've found the reason why those hollows were there, at any rate_. He shrugged and pushed away the image of Gorou's tearstained face. _It's enough to give her spirit the rest she deserves, enough to take to a tribunal. Isn't that more important?_

 _Idiot_ , she snarled back. _Haven't you learned anything over the past two days? Your foolish quest for vengeance above all else does nothing but hurt others. You need to use that brain of yours more_.

Something in her tone made him pause, steps faltering for a moment. _What's wrong?_ he asked gently.

Surprise flashed through him. _What?_

When he repeated the question, she laughed. _Nothing apart from your stupidity getting on my nerves. You don't think_.

Shunsui ignored the barb. _Something's wrong_ , he insisted, trotting to catch up with Juushiro again. He lifted an eyebrow. _It's about the mirror, isn't it? You don't just want us to deal with the mirror because of what the kirin said, because it's dangerous and waking yet more dangerous things_. Silence fell inside his mind for a moment as he gathered his thoughts. _It's more than that, isn't it?_

Her resulting laugh was brittle. _Of course not_.

 _Then it can wait until we assemble a proper tribunal for Shiba_ , he replied flippantly.

 _You_ … She hissed and spat like a cat, then fell silent, and he laughed out loud.

"Shunsui? Everything alright?" Juushiro threw him a puzzled glance.

Shunsui shook his head, still laughing. "Just my zanpakuto being, well… herself." First she wanted him to be powerful – to seize power regardless of who stood in his way – then she wanted him to abandon his original goal and head out after this mirror. It made sense, in a twisted sort of way – she had clearly been more affected by Shihoin-sensei's words than she cared to admit. But her seeming about-face still amused him.

 _It is a lady's privilege to change her mind_ , she informed him loftily.

 _I'm not going to argue with you_ , he replied. _But I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't hide your true motivations behind layers and layers of misdirection_. Just once, it would be nice to know what she truly wanted.

She snickered. _Learn my name, then_.

 _I'm trying_ , Shunsui shot back. _But you're not helping_. Were all zanpakuto this infuriating? He made a mental note to ask Juushiro at a more opportune time.

 _You're not listening_ , she told him, and he sighed. "I suppose I didn't expect anything else."

Juushiro cocked his head to one side. "Are you sure everything is alright?" Amusement and worry fought for dominance in his voice as he slid open the door to the dorm building and gestured Shunsui inside.

Shunsui shrugged. "As good as it can be." He ran his fingers through his hair and grimaced, feeling suddenly trapped by the pressure of reiatsu emanating from the rooms all around him. Most of the students had apparently chosen to sleep in, judging by their spirit pressure – taking advantage of the last day of break, no doubt. _I can't really blame them… I'd be doing the same, if not for_ … He rolled his eyes. _All this_.

As they rounded the last corner, a chilly wave of reiatsu smacked them in the face. "Ukitake. Kyoraku." Rei straightened from her post in front of their door. "Where have you two been?" Suspicion filled her words, and her hazel eyes were narrowed at Juushiro.

Shunsui stepped forward. "We figured out what happened," he told her, unable to keep his ebullience out of his voice. "We know why Mika died." Quickly, he laid it all out for her, concluding with, "So now, all we need to do is assemble a proper tribunal and present the evidence."

A cruel smile spread across her face. "Good." Then she frowned. "But you can't tell the tribunal that you forced Shiba to comply with an illegal kido. We need something more."

Shunsui hesitated. _I… didn't think about that_ , he admitted to himself, swearing under his breath. Of course they couldn't simply tell a tribunal that they had coerced Gorou with a forbidden kido – they'd end up in just as much trouble as he would. "So what do you suggest?"

Rei smirked and spun on her heel. "We find Whisper, of course. He can confirm Shiba's story." She glanced over her shoulder. "Follow me."

Shunsui and Juushiro obeyed, exchanging curious glances, as she led them to the library, where the rest of the squad waited in one of the alcoves. Tension sang in the air between them, and more than one hand hovered near a zanpakuto hilt, but no one exchanged any words. Rei grimaced. "We decided that it would be better to work together, rather than tear apart the squad, but none of us knew what to do. Till now." She turned to the rest of the group. Hikaru gave her a fond smile, while Ryuu bounced slightly in his seat, shooting hero-worship looks at Shunsui.

Taro folded his arms across his chest. "What have you learned?" His demeanor was calm, but Shunsui couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking. He'd been on Juushiro's side in the aborted conflict, after all – was he really willing to listen to Rei now?

Just as Shunsui had, Rei explained everything. When she had finished, Koji snorted. "You can't be serious. This was all some sorta mistake?"

Shunsui gritted his teeth. "Sounds that way, yes." His hands clenched into fists. _Mika died because of that idiot_ … The confluence of circumstances felt unbelievable.

Rei's reiatsu flared. "He'll pay for his actions," she snarled, punching her fist into her palm. "But not till we find Whisper and get incontrovertible evidence. So that's our next mission."

Shunsui stepped forward. "According to Shiba, there's a tavern in the Kyowa district that has a picture of an origami flower over its door. If you leave a message with the barkeep there, it'll get to Whisper within a few days." Assuming he wasn't working another job, of course.

Ryuu leapt to his feet. "I'll go!" he exclaimed, bouncing on the tips of his toes. His reiatsu danced around him like a hyper puppy. "What do we want to say?"

Koji rose and pushed Ryuu back into his seat. "Trust me, nobles ain't gonna run these errands themselves. They gots servants for that." He folded his arms. "I'll go."

Rei studied him for a long moment, eyes narrowed. "Why?" she asked finally, tone betraying no hint of her thought processes.

The commoner shrugged. "Cause Fujimoto-san was my friend, too. And cause that tavernkeep ain't gonna trust you if you show up yourself." He lifted an eyebrow. "You know how it goes."

Rei scowled, but didn't dispute his words, while Shunsui shrugged. Koji was right – nobles with the money to hire someone like Whisper would never run simple errands themselves. Younger nobles, like all of them, were afforded more leeway, but they would still be out of place in the industrial Kyowa district.

When no one said anything, Koji leaned back against the wall and spread his hands. "So?"

Shunsui smiled humorlessly. "Let's draft a message."

* * *

 **Author's Note** : Happy holidays to everyone, and a special thanks to RynnYuzuki, fairymangafan, EmpressSaix, and speedfanatic05 for the lovely reviews.

Holidays are not fun for all of us, especially those of us who are queer, or trans, or otherwise don't conform to familial expectations. If you're stuck with an unsupportive family this holiday season, I'm sorry. You're not alone – hang in there, and hopefully it gets better. Friends are just as much of a family as the people you're related to by blood, if not more so, and don't let anyone tell you differently.


	25. Whispers in the Dark

**Chapter 25: Whispers in the Dark**

Two days later, they got a reply on a worn piece of parchment that had been scraped clean multiple times. It contained only three words – "Midnight. Hanakuren Izakaya." – and a sketch of a flower just beginning to blossom.

No one spoke for a long moment after Koji finished reading the message. They were gathered once again in the library, as it was one of the few places they were guaranteed both privacy and propriety. Though classes had already begun, no one was frantically studying yet – apart from the librarians, they were the only ones in the building.

At last Rei broke the silence. "Well." She fiddled with the sleeve of her uniform top. "Let me know how the meeting goes, alright?"

Shunsui stared at her in shock. "What are you talking about?" Surely she couldn't be planning on missing the meeting, could she?

Rei's smile was twisted. "We have a curfew, remember? I barely convinced my parents to let me return, and only on the condition that I participate in solely non-combat classes. Any infraction, no matter how minor, and they'll pull me right back out."

"It's not that hard to break curfew," Ryuu scoffed. "We do it all the time."

Rei shrugged. "You do. I can't." Though frustration filled her reiatsu, she allowed none of it to show in her voice.

"But, why not?" Ryuu glanced around the group, then back at Rei, radiating puzzlement.

"Welcome to the life of a daughter of a noble clan," she informed him dryly.

Shunsui's stomach sank. "You have to be there," he protested, flattening his palms on the table. "Can't we… I don't know, bribe the matrons or something?" They might be stricter than the guards assigned to the boys' dorms, but a sufficient bribe had to be a possibility. _Though, I suppose word might get back to her family, if we did that_ … He frowned. "What about sneaking out? Can you cast Kyakko?" If no one saw her leave, no one could tattle to her family.

"That makes you invisible, not insubstantial," Juushiro replied before Rei could say anything. "If anyone noticed doors opening on their own accord, she'd be in major trouble." He bit his lip, and Shunsui's heart skipped a beat. "How closely do they keep watch over your comings and goings? Could you simply avoid returning to your room for a night?"

Rei sighed. "Pretty closely, unfortunately. There simply aren't that many of us. And…" She grimaced. "I think my mother may have instructed the matrons to keep a particularly close eye on me. Every time I turn around, one of them is there, all but taking notes on my behavior."

"We aren't just going to leave you behind," Shunsui insisted, folding his arms across his chest. "You've know… you knew," he corrected, "Mika longer than any of us. You have a right to be there." And it didn't feel fair to abandon her simply because of some inane rule like curfew.

Rei lifted an eyebrow. "That's sweet of you, but it's not your decision to make."

"Don't you want to come?" Ryuu asked.

"Of course I do," Rei shot back, straightening in her seat. "But fleeting desires mean little when compared with long-term goals. I also want to graduate, and imperiling that for the sake of a mission where I'm not needed is the height of foolishness."

Hikaru's mouth tightened. "What do you mean, you're not needed?" He leaned towards her, catching her eyes, and she sighed.

"I mean exactly that." Her expression softened by a hair. "I'll write down any questions that I have for Whisper so you can ask them, and I expect you all to give me a full accounting of the meeting tomorrow. But there's nothing I can add by being there in person."

Shunsui and Hikaru exchanged glances, neither happy with the situation. But Rei's tone brooked no disagreement. _If we try to argue her out of this, she'll only get annoyed with both of us_. Shunsui grimaced. "We'll tell you everything," he promised, and Hikaru nodded fervently.

"I promise."

* * *

Thus it was a subdued group that headed towards the Kyowa district that night. Slipping out of their dorm rooms shortly after the eleventh bell rang, they used shunpo to leap from rooftop to rooftop until they were far out of sight of the Academy. Then, and only then, did they drop down to the street, just another group of young men out to have some fun.

As they left the more prosperous districts, the skin on the back of Shunsui's neck began to prickle. Though they'd all worn their oldest, rattiest clothes, determined to blend in, he couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching them. It wasn't anything obvious – no muffled footsteps or shadows whisking behind corners when he glanced over his shoulder. He couldn't even sense any unusual spiritual pressure. But the feeling persisted, niggling at the back of his mind as the streets grew narrower around them.

After several minutes, Juushiro dropped back to walk beside him. "You feel it too, don't you," he murmured out of the corner of his mouth. Shunsui nodded silently.

Koji, who was leading the group, glanced over his shoulder. Of all of them, he was the only one showing no sign of tension. "You all good?" he asked, accent stronger than usual.

Shunsui glanced at the others, taking in their taut shoulders and the hands that hovered near zanpakuto hilts. Then a flicker of movement on the rooftops caught his attention. He whirled, hand dropping to his zanpakuto, then blinked. Was that just his imagination?

Cautiously, he let a tendril of reiatsu curl out from him and drift towards the roof where, for a brief moment, he would have sworn he saw a shadow. Beside him, Juushiro stiffened. "What is it?" he murmured, slowing his progress forward.

At the head of the group, Koji came to a halt. "Kyoraku-san? Ukitake-san?"

"There's someone watching us, isn't there?" Hikaru asked before Koji could continue, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

"Someone, or something?" Ryuu clutched the hilt of his sword. "Is it a hollow? Is it Whisper?"

Koji snorted. "You ain't gonna get hollows in the Seireitei, baka. But…" He glanced up at the rooftops, then shrugged. "Watching us'd be the smart move, if I was Whisper." His tone was nonchalant as he spun on his heel. "Come on, we don't wanna be late."

Ryuu chuckled slightly. "If that's the worst of our worries…" He trotted to Shunsui's side. "Do you think Whisper's really up there, watching us?"

Shunsui shrugged. "Maybe." Like Koji had said, it'd be the smart thing to do, but his tentative probe hadn't detected anything out of the ordinary. If Whisper had been up on the rooftop, he'd been concealing every drop of his spirit energy.

 _Then again, that's not too surprising_ , Shunsui mused as Koji led them around a corner into an even narrower street. _You'd hardly be a good thief or assassin if you couldn't hide your presence, and Whisper isn't only good, he's the best_. Truthfully, Shunsui hadn't fully believed that he existed until Gorou confirmed it. Even now, he had his doubts – given the prominence of the legend, he could easily see someone assuming the name purely for the notoriety.

 _Oh yes, borrow the fame of the most notorious assassin in the Soul Society, purely on the assumption that they're actually dead, or retired, or nonexistent_ , his zanpakuto drawled. _Brilliant plan, don't you think?_

 _Okay, so it would have some downsides_ , Shunsui admitted silently. _But, still, I could see it happening_. It would just take an inordinate amount of confidence.

His zanpakuto chose not to reply as Koji came to a halt in front of a ramshackle building with a red roof and a sign depicting a sake bowl hanging over the door. A surprisingly good sketch of an origami flower was burned into the wood next to the painted bowl, small enough that casual observers were likely to miss it. The plinking of a shamisen, mingled with the low drone of conversation, leaked through the door.

"We're here," Koji announced, stepping aside and gesturing towards the door. A faintly ironic smile twisted his lips.

Shunsui stepped forward, only to be halted by Juushiro's hand on his shoulder. "Are you ready?" the pale student asked, green eyes piercing Shunsui's.

Shunsui bit back a wave of fury at the question. _He has a point_ , he admitted to himself. _Not that I was planning on charging in there and accusing Whisper of murder, but still, he can't know that_. And there had been no hint of accusation in his tone, just concern and inquiry.

 _Very mature_. His zanpakuto applauded sarcastically. _You have the mental acuity of a ten-year-old – a step up from yesterday_.

 _You shut up_. Shunsui pushed her voice away. "Yes," he told Juushiro, pressing his fingers against the hand on his shoulder. "We're just here to ask questions, nothing more. I can handle this."

Juushiro flipped his hand over and squeezed Shunsui's fingers. "Then let's do this."

* * *

The inside of the izakaya was dark and smoky, lit only by a few lanterns hanging on the walls. Though it should have been one of the busiest hours, the room was only half full, and most of the patrons were silently absorbed in their beer. At the far end of the room, a musician with a shamisen leaned against the wall, idly plucking out a slow, almost mournful tune.

Shunsui wrinkled his nose. The place reeked of stale beer and sweat from laborers who hadn't seen a bathhouse in days, with an undercurrent of smoke from the lanterns. The clientele didn't inspire confidence either – dressed in shabby kosode and trousers, they eyed the students with a mixture of fear and disdain. More than one hand drifted out of sight as Shunsui and the others shed their sandals, presumably clutching weapons under the low tables.

The bartender hurried over. "What is your pleasure, okyakusama?"

Ryuu glanced sidelong at Shunsui. "What's the chances of them having anything decent to drink, do you think?" he asked in an undertone.

The bartender flushed as Shunsui shrugged. "A round of beer for my friends and I," he ordered, tossing the man a silver coin. "That should more than cover it." Privately, he suspected that Ryuu was right – the beer at a place like this was probably little better than water. But, if they were going to use the tavern as a meeting place, it seemed polite to buy a few drinks.

The bartender's flush deepened as he bowed, a forced smile on his lips. "Right away, my lord." He gestured towards an empty table surrounded by tatami mats. "If you would care to take a seat?"

Shunsui glanced over at Koji, who rolled his eyes. Why, Shunsui wasn't sure – impatience, maybe? But then the commoner shrugged. "Thank you." As the bartender scurried away, Koji's lips twisted. "Try not to be so…" He snorted. "Noble, alright? Less you want to look even more ripe for the plucking."

"What do you mean?" Ryuu asked indignantly.

Koji heaved a sigh. "Just sit down and shut up."

As he led the way to the table that the bartender had indicated, a cloaked figure rose from a tatami mat in the corner. "Lost cause, shinigami boy." The person laughed hoarsely. "This group will never be anything but a bunch of noble brats." One hand extended from the cloak and beckoned them closer, then drew back the hood. "I take it you're the group I've come here to meet?"

* * *

Whisper snickered as the boys' eyes widened. "But… but… you're a woman!" the chubby one blurted, then clapped a hand over his mouth. He glanced at the boy with the pink armband as though expecting a reprimand, but his friend just laughed.

"Whisper, I presume?" He offered her an elaborate bow with just a hint of mockery in it, then sank into a graceful seiza before her table. The rest of the group followed suit, sweeping zanpakutos out of the way as they arranged themselves in a semicircle before her.

She let the silence draw out as she studied them, fighting back a sneer. Puppies, the lot of them, apart from the young man who spoke in a Rukongai accent and bore the stamp of shikai in his reiatsu. He, at least, had eyes that had seen far too much, and had had the grace to be embarrassed by his companions' cavalier dismissal of the izakaya.

The rest of them, well… She shook her head. The one with the pink armband burned with excitement, but his reiatsu had a tinge of dark hunger that set her teeth on edge. It was unruly, too, flicking out to taste the air like a fire that couldn't be contained by a hearth. Raw power, yes, he had that in plenty, though she didn't sense that he had attained shikai yet. But his control was severely lacking.

The white-haired boy beside him, on the other hand, possessed equal power, but had none of the wildness. His energy tasted like salt where it brushed against hers, and had the same depth as a spring-fed pool. He watched everything with emerald eyes that noted down every detail, though he appeared content to remain quiet for now. Unlike the others, he, too, had winced at the pudgy boy's thoughtless question about the beer.

The body language between those two was intriguing, she decided as she studied them. They moved together with the sort of instinctive awareness of each other that only lovers and best friends had, but there was a hint of tension there, too. The white-haired one's eyes bore a touch of worry whenever he looked at his friend, to which pink armband boy appeared to be oblivious. But his return glances transparently sought the other boy's approval.

She filed the observation away. It could be useful, but only if she was forced to interact with them for a prolonged period of time, and she hoped that wouldn't be necessary.

The remaining four were easier to read. The pudgy boy who couldn't keep his mouth shut clearly worshipped pink armband boy, and just as clearly had no idea what he was doing here. Spoiled and naïve, he would have made an easy mark had she been running that sort of game.

The tall boy to his left was the opposite, with dark eyes that watched calmly from under his bangs. He still gave off the air of a noble, but not one who gave much thought to his status. Judging by the ink stains on his fingers, he probably spent much of his time studying.

The remaining two had ink stains, as well, though fewer of them, but otherwise were nothing alike. The sandy-haired one had reiatsu like quicksilver – less powerful than pink armband, but almost as wild – while the dark-haired one was more sedate. Neither, she judged, was particularly powerful, though the scent of kido hung around the darker one. But they would both probably find shikai in the end.

As several of the boys began to fidget, she laid her hands on the table and broke the silence. "So. You requested a meet. I'm here. Talk."

Pink armband flashed her a brilliant smile. "Let me introduce us. Shunsui Kyoraku, at your service." He bowed slightly. "This is Juushiro Ukitake." He indicated the white-haired boy. "And this is Aono Kira, Hikaru Nakamura, Taro Kannogi, Ryuu Hibiki, and Koji Sato."

She nodded. _Dark hair, quicksilver, studious, pudgy boy, and the commoner with shikai._ Their names didn't particularly matter to her, though she found it interesting that he had offered them – most of her clients preferred to conceal their identities. Safer for them, if she was caught, though their pretenses of anonymity were usually laughable.

Koji's name intrigued her, though. Despite his accent, she had wondered if he was from some provincial branch of a noble family, but Sato wasn't a noble name. Like most Rukongai brats, he'd probably chosen it himself – she certainly had.

 _And that… is interesting_. Like most of the Seireitei, she'd heard the rumors that the Shinigami Academy had accepted their first ever common-born student, but she hadn't expected to find him in the company of a relatively high-ranking group of nobles. And not as a servant, either, but as an equal.

That, combined with their evident goal to meet with her, pricked her curiosity. Maybe this wasn't going to be a run-of-the-mill job after all.

She leaned forward. "You already know who I am. Why are you here?"

Most of the group appeared faintly scandalized by her bluntness, but pink armband – Kyoraku – just smiled. "We have some questions about a job you did several moons ago."

Before he could say anything else, she rocked back on her heels and folded her arms across her chest. "Nope. Rule number one in this business – you don't spill secrets. I don't talk about past jobs to you, and I won't talk about you to anyone else." That was the guarantee she provided her clients. If word got out that she was flapping her mouth off where she shouldn't, business would dry up like summer dew.

He clearly hadn't been expecting that answer. As his mouth worked, the white-haired Ukitake kid leaned forward. "What if we don't ask you to tell us anyone's private information?"

"I'm listening…" She gestured for him to continue.

He took a deep breath. "Before Midwinter, we were on a practice patrol as a class when we were attacked by hollows. One of our classmates was killed. We later discovered that Gorou Shiba had lured the hollows there to distract the border patrols, so you could sneak past them with an artifact he hired you to steal."

As he laid out the tale in sparse, precise strokes, she had to admit that she was impressed. The kids had done their homework, and had figured out almost everything they needed. But there was one flaw in their plan. "I'm not testifying for you," she told them flatly once he had finished. "Never gonna happen."

"But why?" Pudgy kid again – no surprise there.

She rolled her eyes. "Remember what I said just a tick ago? I don't spill secrets." Plus, testifying in front of a noble tribunal? Were they mad? _I'd end up tortured and executed the moment my testimony finished, if not before_. The nobles might find her services useful, but they wouldn't hesitate to throw her under the cart to save their own skins. They could always find another thief, after all.

To her surprise, the kid with the sandy hair – Hikaru something-or-other – nodded. "I assumed that would be your first response. Testifying is hardly a profitable move for you, no matter how much we offer to pay you. It's too dangerous, for one thing. But…" He held up a finger. "What if we could eliminate that risk?"

His companions turned to him, various expressions of confusion on their faces, while Whisper scowled. "How?"

"What are you talking about, Nakamura?" the Kira boy asked at the same time. His tone was a hair's breadth away from accusing, as though he suspected his friend of some sort of trick.

The boy smiled. "The tribunal will only have Shiba-san's word that you are, indeed, the notorious Whisper. Furthermore, you were not technically breaking any laws when you retrieved the mirror, as a member of the clan had given you permission to do so. It may have been an unwise decision to comply with such a request, but an argument could be made that refusing the order of a scion of one of the Five Noble Families is equally unwise. Thus, if you swear fealty to one of our clans…"

Before she could stop herself, she burst out laughing. "Swear fealty? Are you out of your mind?"

"It would keep you safe," he argued, folding his arms over his chest. "If you're sworn to a noble clan, and the tribunal has no evidence of any major crimes, the most they can do is order your clan to punish you as they see fit."

Whisper shook her head, still laughing. "And you expect me to believe that one of your families is going to protect a Rukongai thief? Or that the tribunal will believe that I'm merely some retainer who just happened to be paid a princely sum to remove this mirror of yours?" She snorted. "As if." His entire plan had more holes than a sinking ship, and there was no way she was tying her fortunes to that.

His shoulders slumped as though he had expected her to immediately agree to his crack-brained scheme. "But you have to help us!"

"I don't have to do anything," she snapped back, letting a little of her own spiritual pressure free. Just enough to warn them that she wasn't a pushover, but not enough to let them guess at her true strength. The white-haired boy's eyes narrowed, though, and she wondered what he'd just figured out.

She didn't have time to worry about it, though, as half of the boys started talking at once. "But…" the chubby boy started – it appeared to be his favorite word – while the sandy-haired boy shook his head.

"You have to see that this is…"

"Nakamura, you can't seriously expect to take an assassin from the Rukongai on, that's…"

"But, please, we really need…"

The tall, muscular boy, the white-haired boy, and Koji exchanged glances. Then the white-haired boy smacked his palm on the table. "Enough." Silence fell, and he lifted an eyebrow. "Do you really think this is helping?" As eyes dropped and heads reluctantly shook, he turned back to Whisper. "My apologies for the commotion." He hesitated. "While your testimony could be very valuable, I understand why you are reluctant to give it, and we will not press you further on the matter. However, there is another matter we could use your assistance with."

She pressed her lips together. "If it involves more secrets," she began, irritated.

He shook his head. "It doesn't. We simply need you to guide us to where you left the mirror."

After a moment, she shrugged. She'd left intact for a reason, after all, anticipating this very request. Though she'd expected it to come from a Shiba lord, not a bunch of ragtag students, that was no reason to refuse it. "It'll cost you," she warned.

"Anything," pink armband promised immediately.

She snorted. Though it was tempting to take him up on that, taking advantage of his grief and guilt didn't sit right with her. So she named her usual fee. "Twenty gold pieces."

"Done." The kid with the armband reached into his kimono and pulled out a silk pouch. "There's half. You'll get the other half when we see the mirror."

Whisper weighed the pouch in her hand and smiled at the satisfying clink. "Then, Academy boys, meet me at the west gates after your classes are done for the week. Bring whatever supplies you think you'll need for the weekend, but pack light." Though she doubted they could keep up with her shunpo, she wanted to move as fast as possible.

Pink armband nodded, grey eyes hard and determined. "We'll be there."

* * *

By the time they made it back to the Academy, the night patrol was out in force, but the watchman barely blinked as Hikaru slipped him a few silvers. "Late night, boys?" he asked, waving them through. "Try to come back earlier next time, alright?"

They all nodded as they filed past him, biting back yawns. Though he had certainly stayed up later to study, Juushiro could feel weariness tugging at his bones as the adrenaline of the evening faded away. Sleep would be very welcome.

But he could feel Shunsui practically vibrating with questions at his side – somehow, his roommate evinced no signs of exhaustion, though he'd surely complain when the morning came. _It must be all those late nights partying_. Juushiro's lips quirked. Surprisingly, the thought didn't hurt much, though the sight of the bruises on his roommate's neck still stung. _But we're going to move past that_. And, besides, he had more important things to worry about.

Sure enough, Shunsui took a deep breath as soon as he slid the door of their dorm room closed. "So, why not have Whisper retrieve the mirror for us? Why go with her?" He leaned against the door frame and scratched his head, eyes puzzled.

Juushiro sank onto his cot and bit his lip. "Just a gut feeling," he replied. "Or, well..."

After a moment of hesitation, Shunsui sat next to him and laid a hand on his knee. "What is it?" he asked softly.

Juushiro shrugged. "It's not really logical," he warned, staring at his hands. For all he knew, his intuition could be wildly off-base. And, although he'd come up with a few rationalizations, he knew they were just that – justifications.

Shunsui smiled wryly. "I won't laugh."

Despite himself, Juushiro chuckled. "Well, in that case..." He shrugged, and Shunsui scooted a bit closer. "Like I said, it's silly. But I have a feeling that we need to find that mirror as soon as possible."

"And you don't want to wait the extra day or so it would take for Whisper to retrieve it?" He hesitated for another moment, then wrapped his arm around Juushiro.

The pale student let his head fall back to rest on Shunsui's shoulder, warmth sweeping through him. "I'm not sure she'd be able to," he admitted. She was powerful, far more powerful than he had expected, though he had gotten the distinct sense that she was hiding much of her strength. _But if she ran into another one of those hollows, the ones that can talk_... A lone fighter, however skilled, would be hard-pressed to handle one of those creatures. And strength of reiatsu didn't necessarily correspond to fighting ability.

Shunsui frowned. "What do you mean?"

"What if the mirror has awoken something else?" Juushiro sucked in a breath as Shunsui began to play with his hair. "What if it's too much for one person to handle? We need to treat this mission as though we're entering a war zone, I think. I don't want anyone getting hurt."

Or dying.

The words hung between them like a knife as Shunsui shifted uneasily, then sighed and pulled Juushiro closer. "Me neither," he murmured. "Me neither."

Neither said what they were both thinking. If they went on this mission, there was no guarantee that they'd all come home in one piece. The mirror had already attracted the notice of one powerful hollow, and the kirin had implied that the strength of its call would soon wake even deadlier monsters. A half-trained squad of students had little chance against the sorts of creatures that prowled myth and legend.

Juushiro shivered. _Kami, let us get out of this safely_ , he prayed silently.

 _You'll be fine. You'll have us with you_ , his zanpakuto whispered, voice watery. _You need to listen harder for our name, though, so we can properly protect you_. The voices chuckled. _Of course, you have had other things on your mind, so we forgive you for your inattention_.

Shunsui blinked as Juushiro chuckled. "What is it?"

Juushiro shook his head. "Just my zanpakuto," he explained, twisting around so he could see Shunsui's face.

His roommate grinned. "Somehow, I doubt yours is as annoying as mine."

"Probably not," Juushiro admitted. From what little Shunsui had said about the spirits inhabiting his inner world, he had gotten the impression that they were utter terrors.

Shunsui laughed, but the laughter fell away quickly. "So..." He rested a hand on Juushiro's hip. "What do we do now? If Whisper won't testify..." He bit his lip, reiatsu flaring with agitation.

"I don't know," Juushiro admitted. "We might have enough evidence if we can retrieve the mirror?" It would all be circumstantial, though.

Admittedly, evidence didn't always play a major role in tribunal cases, from what he'd learned. Hikaru would know better than he did, but he'd gotten the impression from class that political maneuvering was the name of the game in cases like this. After all, the five noble families controlled the law – what they said went. In a situation like this, with scions of two of the five going head to head, it'd be a question of influence, favors, and honor.

Given that, Whisper's testimony, while useful, might not be wholly necessary. _We might be able to win without it, if we can do a good enough job arguing. Make it clear that supporting Gorou has political ramifications, and maybe_... He sighed. _That assumes that Rei can get her family to cooperate, though. And I don't know how likely that is_.

A soft kiss on his forehead startled him from his thoughts. "No need to solve all the world's problems tonight," Shunsui chided gently. "We can figure it out tomorrow. We have time."

Juushiro licked his lips, tilting his head back slightly so he could look Shunsui in the eye. "You sure?"

Shunsui chuckled and pulled him close, kissing him on the lips. "I'm sure."

* * *

 **Author's Note** : I really appreciate the support all you lovely reviewers (Psycho-Neurotically Disturbed, A Guest, speedfanatic05, EmpressSaix, and Silverfang KJ this time) have been showing me. Trust me, it helps! I hope you're all still enjoying the story as it moves towards its conclusion – I'd be surprised if there's more than 3 or 4 chapters left at this point. So, if you have something in particular you want to see, let me know!


	26. Into the Fray

**Chapter 26: Into the Fray  
**

It was a sober group that met at the west gates that evening, after the first week of classes had ended. The setting sun painted the clouds with a riot of pink and orange, giving the land a golden hue. An icy breeze, redolent with the scent of snow, twined through their garments and plucked at the straps of the light packs they all wore.

Juushiro ran an eye over the group and gave an approving nod. In appearance, if no one looked too hard, they could have been any ordinary group of shinigami departing on patrol. Though none of them owned the black regulation shihakusho yet, they'd all chosen dark gi tops and wide black pants that would serve well enough. The pink armband wrapped around Shunsui's bicep was the only splash of color – even their outer jackets were various hues of brown and grey.

Their reiatsu was heightened, laden with tension, but that was to be expected. He and Shunsui had described the hollow that they'd encountered, and impressed upon the group that they were likely to encounter similar – or worse – monsters. Even the normally irrepressible Ryuu had sobered at that, at least momentarily.

 _Now, well_ … Juushiro hid a smile. Excitement shot through Ryuu's spirit energy like lightning as he bounced on his toes, glancing around impatiently as they waited for Whisper to appear. Hikaru, too, blazed with eagerness, though he kept it more contained. Rei, on the other hand, evinced nothing but steely determination, while Aono oscillated between nerves and a forced patience. And Taro, as always, was a solid bulwark of strength, ready for anything.

With a crack of displaced air, Koji materialized out of shunpo. "You all ready?"

"Whisper isn't here yet," Hikaru pointed out, folding his arms across his chest.

"Ain't she?" Koji lifted an eyebrow, gaze going past the group to a ragged beggar slumped against the wall.

As they all turned to look, the beggar rose and barked a laugh. "Very good." She smirked as she shed her outer layer, leaving her clad in a tightly-wrapped outfit of grey. "I was wondering how long it would take you all to notice."

Shunsui burst out laughing as she strode towards them. "Very good, milady! Great disguise."

"I'm no one's lady," she retorted, propping her hands on her hips.

Juushiro flushed, ashamed that he had paid no attention to the supposed beggar until this moment. Though they were still in safe territory, he should have been more attentive – after all, look what had happened last time they had thought themselves safe. And he had already known that Whisper was a master at concealing her spirit energy.

 _We like her_ , his zanpakuto announced unexpectedly. _She's interesting! Lots of hidden depths_.

Juushiro blinked. _That's… good?_ Hopefully so, at any rate. He trusted the enigmatic spirits that had been talking to him, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was seeing only a small part of their true nature. Comments like this, for instance – how much did they know about the thief-turned-guide? And how did they acquire said knowledge?

He didn't have the leisure to ponder the questions, though. Pushing them to the back of his mind, he bowed to Whisper. "Thank you for agreeing to help us."

"I'm not doing this out of the goodness of my heart," she told him acerbically. As he flushed, she sighed, then ran an eye over all of them. "Ready to go?"

Shunsui glanced over the group, then bowed. "Lead on, my…" He grinned at her as he cut himself off. "Lead on, Whisper."

Her lips quirked. "I presume you all know how to use flashstep?"

They all nodded, though both Aono and Ryuu bore vaguely dubious expressions. Juushiro couldn't blame them – though they were all proficient at shunpo in the practice arena, none of them had used it for a prolonged period of time. And, like kido, it rapidly sapped spirit energy.

Privately, Juushiro hoped that they weren't planning on traveling the entire distance with shunpo. It would greatly reduce their travel time, which was important – they did have class on Monday, after all. But they also needed to be able to handle whatever they might come across once they arrived. _If we exhaust ourselves traveling_ … He shook his head. _Well, if it starts to look like that's a real danger, I'll speak up_. Until then, better to trust Whisper to guide them as she saw fit.

* * *

The moon had begun to set by the time Ryuu stumbled to a halt, face drawn and grey. "Please, can we take a break?" he begged, hands propped on his knees.

Whisper studied their surroundings for a brief moment, then shrugged and headed into the forest. "We can make camp if you want, though I recommend that we don't stay for too long. We should be on the road again by the time the sun rises." Her eyes narrowed as she eyed the group of gasping students following. "You know, I would have expected better from shinigami-in-training." She sighed as they entered a small clearing. "This should make a suitable campsite, though."

"It's the training part you're forgetting," Koji advised her, dropping his pack to the ground. "They ain't got shikai yet, you know." Unlike the rest of them, he bore no signs of exhaustion. Though sweat dripped down his face, he stood as straight as the surrounding trees, one hand resting casually on the hilt of his zanpakuto.

Whisper lifted one shoulder. "Yet. And they ain't gonna get it if they don't train."

The brief emergence of a Rukongai accent made Juushiro blink, but it vanished as she turned to the rest of the group. "Get what rest you can," she advised, lips quirking. "We leave at dawn."

As the rest of the students shucked their packs and dug out their bedrolls, Juushiro scanned the trees around them. _We aren't too far away from the place where we were ambushed_ , he realized as a shiver ran down his spine. _No wonder it feels familiar_. Though the pine forest appeared deserted, the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. Was it just his imagination, or was it too quiet? Where were the owls, the voles, the nocturnal inhabitants of the forest?

Then an owl hooted in the distance, and he felt his lips twitch into a smile. _Of course, I could be too paranoid_. After the disaster, the Shiba clan had surely increased their patrols, and the likelihood of anyone using hollow bait to summon more hollows was infinitesimal. _We should set up watches, but I suspect we're relatively safe here_.

He didn't want to count on that, though. "Sato-san?"

The commoner ambled over. "Yeah?" His voice was gruff, but not unfriendly.

Juushiro smiled. "Would you be willing to share first watch with me? I think we're some of the freshest, and I don't think we should leave the camp unguarded." He glanced over his shoulder to see Taro and Aono setting up a small fire. Ryuu had already rolled himself in his bedroll and pulled it over his head, while Rei and Hikaru were gathering branches. Shreds of reiatsu flickered around all of them – they were unlikely to remain awake much longer.

"Sure." Koji shrugged. "Who's taking second? Probably don't need more than two tonight."

Shunsui slipped out of the shadows and wrapped an arm around Juushiro's waist. "I can," he volunteered, then yawned hugely. "After I get a nap, I should be fresh as a daisy. And…" He cocked his head to one side. "Perhaps the lovely Whisper would join me?"

From where she leaned against a tree, Whisper snorted. "Works for me, as long as you can behave yourself."

"I'll be the perfect gentleman," Shunsui promised, hand pressed over his heart.

Whisper lifted an eyebrow. "I'm not worried." Then, as Shunsui blinked at her, she drew a wakizashi from a scabbard at her hip and began cleaning it.

Shunsui chuckled. "Point taken," he murmured. Then he tugged Juushiro closer and kissed his forehead. Juushiro blushed at the display of affection in front of their classmates, but his roommate didn't seem to notice. "Wake me when it's my turn?" he asked softly, running his fingers through Juushiro's hair.

Juushiro nodded. "Of course." He bit his lip. "Sleep well."

Shunsui kissed him lightly on the lips. "I'll pray for a quiet night." He swallowed hard, fingers tightening on Juushiro's hip for a moment, before he forced a smile. "I'll see you in a few bells."

"So, you and Kyoraku, huh?" Koji asked once Shunsui had returned to the group gathered around the fire.

Juushiro nodded once, feeling awkward. Did the Rukongai-born student disapprove? His reiatsu gave no hint of his feelings. Same-sex pairings were certainly not unheard-of, but they tended to follow along more traditional roles. Public affection wasn't precisely common, after all. _And we're not really in a mentor relationship, either_.

"Huh." Koji leaned back against a tree. "Good for you."

When he said nothing more, apparently content to leave it at that, Juushiro chose a tree of his own to lean against while he stared out into the darkness. Behind them, the fire crackled and tree branches cracked as the students made themselves as comfortable as possible in the small clearing. Though they were only five minutes from the road, they could have been in the middle of the wilderness for all the sounds he could hear. Yet the threat of the mirror and the uncertainty of their situation kept him from relaxing.

As the sounds of people shifting in their blankets died down, he sighed. With any luck, this would all be over soon.

* * *

"So." Shunsui leaned against the tree trunk and gave Whisper his most winning smile. "Why become a thief and an assassin?" He kept his voice low, so as not to wake the students sleeping behind him, and made sure to keep most of his attention on the forest – he'd already paid the price of inattention once, and had no desire to do so again. But the question had been eating him up since they first met Whisper, and he couldn't hold it in anymore. After all, she was a lovely woman, and one who couldn't be much older than the Academy students. So what had driven her to a life of crime?

After a long moment, in which she studied him like a particularly unappealing bug, she lifted an eyebrow. "What else was I supposed to do, pray tell? Sell my body, rather than my sword?"

He winced. "I didn't mean that! I meant…" He waved his hands. "I mean, you've clearly got power, right? And you've got to be educated too. So why not… I don't know… get a legitimate job somewhere?" Surely someone would have hired her – maybe as a bodyguard for a young noble maiden, or… He faltered. _Well, as something, anyway_.

Her eye roll wasn't visible in the darkness, but her reiatsu conveyed the sentiment quite clearly. "There aren't very many options for a Rukongai brat," she informed him acerbically. "Much less one who happens to be female."

"But you don't talk like you're from the Rukongai," Shunsui blurted, then blushed. "Ah, I mean…"

"You mean, I can talk all purdy-like?" she asked, in a thick Rukongai accent. And not just any Rukongai accent, but one that sounded like it had come out of the worst, roughest districts.

As Shunsui's mouth dropped open, Whisper chuckled dryly. "I learned to talk like a noble because you all refuse to take someone seriously unless they sound like you." She bent her head back to her lap, where her blade lay unsheathed. "Learn to look beyond your little world, boy, and you'll find that things aren't always what they seem."

Shunsui's lips curved into a smile. "I think you already proved that," he replied, fiddling with the hilt of his zanpakuto. "That trick you pulled earlier…" He would have never guessed that she could conceal herself so effectively in plain sight. If not for a total lack of kido energy around her, he might have suspected some sort of misdirection kido – a modified Kyakko, maybe, or something else that made her utterly forgettable. _But we would have sensed that… wouldn't we?_

 _You know, you can be incredible dense sometimes_ , his zanpakuto pointed out, sounding aggravated. _You could do far worse than listen to her and follow her advice, but you aren't even trying_.

 _What do you mean?_ As soon as he said it, he regretted it. _Never mind_. He shook his head. _I'll figure it out on my own – I don't need any of your snark distracting me_. Though it did disturb him that his bloodthirsty zanpakuto apparently admired their guide. As character endorsements went, it wasn't a great one.

The woman in his head snickered. _I'll expect your answer in a couple of years, then_.

Shunsui rolled his eyes and refused to rise to the bait. He already knew that there was far more to Whisper than met the eye – that reputation of hers couldn't be all false. _Sneaking her way past dozens of guards to assassinate the old lord of the Omaeda Clan, stealing the Kuchiki kenseiken then ransoming it back to them, planting an origami flower in the heart of the Feng Clan's stronghold as a warning from some unknown malcontent_... Even if she'd only done half of what the stories said, she was a woman to be reckoned with.

 _I wonder how she does it_. Shunsui studied her out of the corner of his eye, trying to figure out what her secret might be. She had to have one – she appeared to possess no more reiatsu than a farmer, but no one with that little power could have done even a quarter of the things she had done in the tales. And she'd certainly set a punishing shunpo pace. But most methods of concealing spiritual pressure required constant attention, as well as a certain amount of energy influx. Squashing that much energy was like trying to keep a bushel of cats in a small sack – eventually, they'd break free unless the bag was constantly reinforced. _Does she really have that much spirit energy?_

He frowned. _She'd have a zanpakuto in that case, wouldn't she?_ But none of the stories talked about one. And her wakizashi certainly didn't look…

Shunsui's eyes widened as he peered more closely at the weapon in her lap, only now seeing the telltale gleam that marked it as more than simple steel. "That's a zanpakuto, isn't it?" he blurted out before he could think better of it.

To his relief, Whisper just sighed. "Yes, it is." She ran her hand down the blade, a faint smile lingering on her lips.

Shunsui hesitated, then let his next question spill out. "What does it do?"

Whisper's lips pursed. "Nothing useful." In one fluid motion, she sheathed it, smile vanishing as though it had never existed.

Shunsui cocked his head to one side. "How's that possible?" Zanpakuto were built for battle – was hers simply too flashy for a thief? Too noisy, maybe? While zanpakuto did tend to reflect the personality of their wielders, it certainly wasn't always a perfect match. One of his cousins, for instance, had ended up with a shikai release that summoned thunderstorms. Useful, since he could direct the lightning that the storms produced, but unwieldy, as he spent most of his time inside as an adjutant.

Whisper's eyes narrowed as she studied him. "None of your business," she replied finally, turning to stare out into the darkness under the trees.

Shunsui lifted both of his hands in graceful surrender. "Of course." But he couldn't resist studying her profile, little more than a slender shape in the darkness. _I wonder what it does_ … He shrugged. _Maybe we'll get to find out when we get to the mirror_.

* * *

 _Alright Shunsui_. No trace of sarcasm in the mental voice now. _Are you ready for this?_

Shunsui swallowed hard. He stood in the shade of an aging conifer, one hand wrapped around the hilt of his zanpakuto as he fought to control his breathing and steady his reiatsu. The other students were arrayed nearby, each assuming a position on the hillside that gave them an unobstructed view of the valley below.

Under ordinary circumstances, it would have been idyllic. The setting sun cast long shadows over the land, tinting the gathering storm clouds a delicate pink. Snow lingered in the deepest shadows, but the grass of the meadow shone through in many sun-kissed spots. The air held the faintest hint of sea salt – though they were technically in lands held by the Shiba clan, the Ukitake lands weren't too far away.

But the peace of the meadow was marred by the hordes of hollows milling around in it. Slender, white-clad figures slipped through the hulking masses, incongruously small compared to their compatriots, but emanating a freezing spiritual pressure that was evident even on the hillside. The larger hollows flinched away from the smaller ones, giving them a wide berth.

Towards the far end of the valley, a trio of the smaller, humanoid hollows had gathered. They stood a careful distance from each other, body language wary, but they appeared to be conferring with each other. Beyond them, light glinted off of something that Shunsui assumed was the mirror – what else could glitter so brightly? But they were too far away to see more than the occasional flash as the shifting of the hollows let sunlight hit the glass.

Shunsui stole a glance at Juushiro. His lover stood against the trunk of a tall fir, back rigid and lips pressed together as he stared down at the mass of hollows. His reiatsu crackled with suppressed energy, and Shunsui couldn't blame him. The thought of young Isao running into these monsters, or Naomi and Sayuri… He shuddered. They were still a day's travel away at an ordinary pace, but shunpo could compress that time by a terrifying amount.

He gripped his zanpakuto more tightly. _We'll simply have to win here, then_.

But the odds didn't look good. Their squad could have taken out three or four hollows without a problem, but twenty or thirty? And that wasn't even counting the trio near the mirror, or the others drifting through the group. _If just one of those almost killed both of us without breaking a sweat, what will seven of them be able to do?_ They did have Koji, who had shikai, and Whisper – though her power level remained unknown – but that only barely evened the odds.

Shunsui drew in another deep breath. _There has to be a way to do this_. But he couldn't think of anything.

Beside him, Ryuu shifted from foot to foot. "What's our plan?" he hissed, voice shaking ever so slightly.

"We have to neutralize the mirror," Juushiro replied softly, eyes still fastened on the enemy. "If we don't, it'll keep attracting more and more hollows. They don't seem to know what to do with it yet, but it's only a matter of time before something goes sideways." He didn't bother to point out the obvious – they didn't actually know how to deal with the artifact. Shunsui had hoped that inspiration would strike once he had seen it, but his mind remained blank.

 _Leave that to me_ , his zanpakuto told him, then chuckled dryly. _Or, rather, leave that to us_. She sobered. _You need to listen, Shunsui. You need to listen harder than you ever have before, or all of your friends will be lost_.

Shunsui closed his eyes. _I'm listening_ , he told her, forcing away his impatience and frustration. _What do I need to hear?_

She sighed. _You'll know soon enough_. A pause, then the barest whisper. _Or you'll be dead_.

Before he could respond to that morbid thought, movement flickered beside him. Whisper, reiatsu damped so as to be almost nonexistent, eeled her way out of the underbrush. "I count twenty four lesser hollow, four adjuchas, and three vasto lordes," she informed him without preamble. As the others clustered closer to listen, she grimaced. "You still sure you want to do this? The vasto lordes are arguing right now, but I highly doubt that'll stop them from squashing you like bugs if you get closer."

Rei, eyes blazing, nodded. "We need that mirror as evidence." Though she kept her voice low, the heat in it was unmistakable.

"Not only that, but we can't, in good conscience, leave it here," Hikaru put in. "Giving such a dangerous weapon to the hollows? Unacceptable. And if, by some miracle, they choose to leave it here, it'll keep summoning more and more monsters."

"That was my understanding, at least," Juushiro replied. He bit his lip, brows furrowed. "But sacrificing ourselves won't accomplish anything, either."

"We shoulda brought backup," Koji muttered.

Shunsui flushed. If he was honest with himself, he hadn't even thought of that, but Koji was right. If they'd been smart, they would have informed Kichiro-sensei and the rest of their teachers, rather than trying to do it all on their own. _Kichiro-sensei may not have believed us, but I bet Shihoin-sensei would have, and she could have convinced the others. Kami, even a couple teachers could probably handle this mess without much trouble, unlike us_.

But it was no use bemoaning what might have been. By the time they fetched backup, the hollows – and the mirror – would be long gone. _We're lucky we got here when we did, actually_.

 _Lucky, or foolish_ , his zanpakuto muttered darkly. _Who says you haven't been lured here just like the hollows? Who says this is a coincidence?_

Shunsui shivered, then shook his head. _Either way, we're here now_. If they'd been played like a fish on a line, then so be it – it didn't change their current options.

Whisper rolled her eyes. "Noble idiots," she muttered under her breath, then sighed. "Alright. You say this mirror is pulling these things here, right? So your first objective is to disable that call." Her lips stretched into a humorless smile. "If you're lucky, you can actually reverse it, but if not, you've got a nasty fight ahead of you."

"And what will you be doing?" Hikaru objected, folding his arms across his chest.

She lifted an eyebrow. "You paid me to guide you here. I did so. You didn't pay me to fight for you."

"But that's…" Ryuu started, voice lifted in outrage.

Taro clamped a hand over his mouth. "Quiet!"

As Ryuu subsided, scowling mulishly, Shunsui took a step forward. "You're right," he admitted, hating himself for doing so. "You've done what we paid you to do. In fact…" He reached into his kimono and pulled out the other half of the payment. "Here. If you want to, you're free to leave. But I'd ask that you don't."

"And why is that?" She slipped the silk pouch into her obi, face carefully neutral.

He shrugged. "Well, for one thing, we need your help. You're probably the best fighter here, based on how you move, and we could use every blade we can get." He hesitated. "But I also don't think you want to leave. You told me to look beneath the surface, remember? Well, I think you may act like you don't care what happens here, but I don't think you could abandon us to almost certain death at the hands of those hollows. And if we fail? Could you really let that mirror remain here, searching ever more frantically for a wielder and waking up untold horrors in the process?" He shook his head, confidence growing as she listened in silence. "I don't think you could."

Silence reigned for a long moment after he finished speaking. Then, at last, she shrugged. "Even if what you say is true, what's in it for me if I help you?"

Shunsui laughed. "If we get out of this alive, you can name your price!" Between all of their families, they could meet almost any demand, no matter how unreasonable. And something in his gut told him that she wouldn't ask for anything too unreasonable.

Whisper turned to study the hollows, one hand on the hilt of her blade. The students shifted their weight as the silence stretched on, only to freeze as she turned back to Shunsui. "Any price?" Her voice was low.

Before he could think better of it, Shunsui nodded. "Anything."

The corners of her lips twitched. "In that case, you've got a deal." A feral smile spread across her face. "If nothing else, it should be an interesting fight."

* * *

The descent into the valley felt like a descent into hell itself. As soon as they set foot in the meadow, the lesser hollows perked up. Though they had no more intelligence than the beasts of the forest, they knew easy prey when they saw it. First one, then two, then the whole herd turned and charged towards them, bellowing with glee.

Rei unsheathed her sword with a flourish. "This is for Mika," she snarled, leaping ahead of the group. Hikaru followed at her heels, katana held high and reiatsu blazing.

Koji shrugged. "Let's do this." He pulled his zanpakuto from the sheath at his side. "Shatter them, Ishikiru."

A feral smile flickered over Whisper's face as she drew her own sword. "Stay out of my way, Academy boys," she warned, twirling it casually as the first hollows drew near. Battle lust gleamed in her eyes. "This should be fun."

Shunsui's eyes widened as she sprang into the air, neatly slicing through the mask of a lumbering ursine hollow before launching off of its shoulder as it dissolved. Two more hollows fell to her blade as he watched, scarcely realizing that he'd slowed to a jog. Beside her, Rei and Hikaru looked like the half-trained students they were – even Rei's speed, best in the class, paled against Whisper's lightning movements. But they were gamely holding their own as the hollows poured forward.

"Hado 31: Shakkaho!" Aono yelled, blasting an oncoming hollow with a fireball. He glanced over his shoulder at Shunsui. "Go on, get going! We've got this!"

Taro nodded in agreement. "Go. You've got your job, we've got ours." He grunted as a hollow swung a massive clawed hand at him, catching the blow on his zanpakuto before retaliating with a powerful swing that cut off the hand that had attacked him.

Shunsui took a deep breath. Taro and Aono were right, but everything in him rebelled against leaving his classmates alone on the battlefield. The odds were already so stacked against them – was it really fair for him and Juushiro to abandon them?

 _You're not abandoning them_ , his zanpakuto reminded him acidly. _Now get moving_.

Juushiro laid a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go."

Shunsui nodded.

And so they dove into the fray, weaving their way past the onrushing hollows without engaging more than necessary. Koji followed at their backs, smashing hollow after hollow with pillars of rock that exploded from the ground around him. "Go, go, go!"

Shunsui flinched as a shard of rock sliced his cheek, narrowly missing his eye. They were halfway across the meadow now, and the hollows were growing denser. Their reiatsu sucked at his skin, fighting to slow him down, but he kept running. One hand clenched tight around the hilt of his zanpakuto, while the other gathered spirit energy into a rough ball – though he was far from proficient in kido, any little bit could come in handy now.

Beside him, Juushiro's hands glowed blue with power, power that lashed out at the hollows surrounding them whenever one got too close. They recoiled from the lightning, screeching and howling, which gave Koji the openings he needed to destroy them. But they kept coming.

 _Almost there_ , Shunsui told himself. His side burned, and muscles in his calves were threatening to cramp, but he couldn't slow down now. Up ahead, he could see the trio of humanoid hollows, who were watching their sprint forward with varying expressions of amusement and disdain. All of them appeared to be keeping one eye on their fellow hollows, though they'd apparently set aside their conflicts for the moment.

And, beyond them, the mirror.

Shunsui's breath hitched as he got a clear look at it. Half the height of a man, with a simple wooden frame, it gleamed in the late afternoon sunlight in a way that didn't feel wholly natural. Something about the reflection was off, as though it reflected a world subtly off-kilter from the real one.

Koji sprinted forward as they neared the trio, breath coming in harsh pants. Shunsui and Juushiro split to either side of him as he threw himself into a shoulder roll, coming up with his feet planted. "Ishikiru!"

Had the hollows been paying more attention, it would never have worked. But they didn't expect such a suicidal charge, and Koji's spears of rock caught them all squarely in the chest. They flew backwards, and he whirled. "Now!"

Shunsui and Juushiro dove for the mirror. It was reckless to the point of stupidity, but it was the only plan they had – if they could destroy the mirror in the split second before the hollows were on them, they might have the barest chance of fleeing. Without the mirror to hold the hollows there, they might – if the students were lucky – simply return home.

 _Fat chance of that_ , Shunsui thought as he spied the trio flashing back into the battle. _Now they're angry_.

He grinned to himself. _At least your parents will be proud of you if you die in battle, right?_ He glanced over at Juushiro as they sprinted flat-out for the mirror, admiring the way his lover's white hair streamed out behind him. Here and now, Juushiro looked positively unearthly, a kami made flesh. _And at least you're together. That's something_.

Heart aching, Shunsui reached out to grab the mirror. "I love you," he mouthed, as Juushiro did the same on the other side. "I love you."

As soon as he touched the frame, the world fell away.

* * *

 **Author's Note** : Homosexuality in ancient Japan was an interesting thing. It wasn't scorned or forbidden, the way it was in most Western nations, but there were still customs that were expected to be observed. Adult samurai, for instance, often took their younger pupils as lovers, though the relationship was expected to end when the boy came of age. In such a relationship, the mentor, or nenja, would teach the boy, or wakashu, all the skills of being a samurai, with the expectation that the relationship would improve the character of both nenja and wakashu. Only boys were permitted to take on the wakashu role – for an adult to do so was considered shameful.

Shunsui and Juushiro's relationship doesn't quite fit into the shudo category, as neither is mentoring the other. So their relationship would probably be seen as a bit strange, and possibly shameful, especially for Shunsui (as he has more political power, and thus would be expected to take on the nenja role.)


	27. The Games We Play

**Chapter 27: The Games We Play**

"Where are we?"

He didn't realize that he had said it out loud until he heard laughter from behind him. "Why, dear Shunsui, where do you think we are?"

Shunsui turned slowly, half afraid of what he was about to see. The world in which they had landed was nothing he'd ever seen before – full of grey mist, with no more than three feet of visibility in any direction. The ground under his feet felt like sand, but when he looked down, all he could see was more mist. But that voice…

The woman from his inner world snickered as he turned fully to face her. Like before, she wore a plum kimono with a large golden skull in the front in place of a traditional obi. Another skull formed the centerpiece of her spiky hair-piece, which stretched out to either side of her purple pigtails. Her kimono gaped open, revealing a substantial amount of cleavage, but Shunsui kept his eyes firmly fixed on her face.

Behind her stood the young girl that he'd seen before, wearing an open plum robe and short black shorts. She, too, wore a skull in her hair, though hers lacked the predominant golden spikes of her older counterpart. All of her face, apart from one turquoise eye, was covered, either by the black mask over her mouth or the short purple hair that obscured the remaining half of her face.

Neither carried weapons, but Shunsui put little stock in that. After all, they _were_ weapons.

When neither said anything more, he sighed. "Well, we're not in my inner world, unless it's changed radically in the past week, but we're not in the real world, either." Were they in someone else's inner world? Was that even possible? He'd never heard of such a thing, but then, it was becoming increasingly clear that he'd never heard of a lot of things.

His zanpakuto nodded gravely. "Welcome to the world of Akarui Mira."

As she spoke, the mists receded, pulling away from them in an undulating ripple vaguely reminiscent of the movement of a serpent. As they retreated, they coalesced, leaving behind a vast net of fibers glittering with water droplets. At the same time, the ground shrank to a circle no more than three feet across, anchored by a strand of the net thicker than Shunsui's waist. More circles, each with their own anchor, dotted the expanding landscape – islands floating in a starry sky, connected only by the slippery net.

Shunsui peered over the edge of his island and instantly felt dizzy. The space below him stretched on towards infinity, darkness broken only by the distant twinkle of stars. _You could fall forever here and never hit the ground_ … He gulped.

"It wasn't always like this," his zanpakuto informed him, gazing into the darkness with a pensive expression. "Her world used to be full of light and laughter and mist, mist that reflected anything you could possibly imagine." Her lips twisted. "The reflections are still here, but they're shattered now. Just like her."

"You knew her?" Shunsui asked softly, peering at one of the water droplets clinging to the web. There was something inside of it, a bright speck of yellow and red, but he couldn't quite make it out. If only he could get a bit closer…

A slap to the back of his head snapped him out of his daze. "Stop that," his zanpakuto ordered, without heat. Then she sighed. "Yes, I knew Akarui Mira. A very long time ago."

Shunsui didn't know how to respond to that. Somehow, he'd never really considered the idea that zanpakuto could exist independently of their masters – could, as a matter of fact, exist for centuries before their masters were born. Did they form friendships with other zanpakuto while waiting for the right shinigami? How did they communicate? Did they all have their own worlds?

As he pondered those questions, and dozens more, his zanpakuto shook herself. "Well." She folded her hands in her sleeves. "Getting here was step one. What's step two?"

"You're not my sensei," Shunsui grumbled under his breath, but she had a point. They clearly couldn't shatter the mirror as they'd planned, so they needed to neutralize it another way. "I guess…" He shrugged. "I guess we need to find this Akarui Mira. She's got to be in here somewhere, right?"

"And when you find her?" his zanpakuto asked critically.

Shunsui offered her a flamboyant bow. "That's where you come in, I figure. Isn't that what you've been telling me?"

To his surprise, she chuckled. "That's not a bad assumption." The smile slipped off of her face. "But you'll need to trust me to harness my power. Do you trust me?"

Shunsui took a deep breath. _Do I?_ She certainly hadn't been acting very trustworthy recently, and she certainly had her own agenda. _And_ … He glanced at her shadow, who was studying the web with an unreadable expression. _I have no idea what she wants, if anything. But_ … He grimaced. _In this case, I think she, or maybe they, want the same thing I do_.

So he offered her a second bow. "Yes," he replied simply. "Here and now, I trust you."

Her eyes glittered. "Good enough." She gestured to the network of fibers. "Lead on, then."

Not without misgivings, Shunsui did. He tried to pick the strand that led towards the center, though center was a nebulous thing here. Still, the net did seem to get denser in one direction, so he headed that way.

It was slow going. The strands, though wide enough, were slippery, slick with a substance that felt thicker than water. The bubbles, as he learned to his regret, exploded on contact, vomiting flurries of rainbow butterflies into the air. After his first brush nearly sent him toppling off the web, he made sure to avoid them, which slowed him down further. But each time he tried to speed up, anxious to return to the battle in the real world, he found himself teetering precariously on the web, a heartbeat away from falling.

His zanpakuto evinced no impatience at the slow pace, but then that didn't surprise Shunsui much. She had no reason to care about the fates of those fighting the hollows, whereas every delay increased his fear for them. How long could they hold out? How many more monsters would awaken while Shunsui dawdled in this place?

They'd passed four little islands when he spotted a shock of white hair in the distance. His heart leapt. "Juushiro!"

Juushiro spun, reiatsu flaring. "Shunsui?"

As they got closer, Shunsui could see that Juushiro was accompanied by two kids of indeterminate gender, who peered curiously around his legs as Shunsui crossed the last few feet of web. Shunsui hid a smile. The two, who had to be the manifestation of Juushiro's zanpakuto, were utterly adorable, with pointy blue hats, blue robes, and identical mischievous expressions. Not what he would have expected, by any means! But the scent of sea spray clung to them, along with an aura of contained power. And the knowledge lurking deep in those wide green eyes definitely didn't belong to young children.

"Your zanpakuto?" Shunsui asked, nodding at them

Juushiro nodded. "I'd introduce them, but they still won't share their name." He turned a mock-stern glance on the children, who giggled, then pressed his hands together for a formal bow. "And I take it these ladies are yours?"

The woman nodded regally back to him, while Shunsui nodded. "Yep. Like yours, if they've got names, they're not sharing."

"You're not listening," his zanpakuto responded tartly, just as he'd expected.

"So you've said." He turned to Juushiro. "What direction did you come from?"

Juushiro motioned over his shoulder. "That way, about five islands back."

Shunsui nodded. If his guesses were right, it looked like they both had materialized somewhere near the outer edges of the web and had been working their way in. _We were lucky to spot each other, I think_. But that meant that the center couldn't be too far away.

He flashed a grin at his lover. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" The sooner they could leave this strange world, the sooner they could help their classmates.

But the web stretched into the distance without any change, no matter how far they walked. After nearly fifteen minutes of walking, during which he saw no perceptible change in their surroundings, Shunsui stopped and planted his hands on his hips. "Hey, Mirror! Akarui Mira!" He spun in a slow circle. "Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

"Shunsui!" Juushiro sounded scandalized. "What are you doing?"

"Walking isn't getting us anywhere," he explained, still turning slowly in the hopes of seeing something new. "The owner of this world surely knows that we're here, anyway, so we may as well see if she'll come out and talk to us."

His zanpakuto smirked. "Well, that's one way to get her attention," she chuckled, as a mist-shrouded figure materialized on a nearby island. "I should warn you, though, she may not be too happy to be summoned like that."

Shunsui shrugged. "She's probably not happy for us to be here in the first place," he pointed out. "I doubt this could make her mood worse." And if it did, well… _What's done is done. We're already prepared for a fight – what's the worst that could happen?_

"Not a question you want to ask in this place," his zanpakuto muttered, for his ears alone.

Juushiro glanced at the woman, a silent question in his emerald eyes, then shrugged. "What now?" He nodded at the figure, who appeared to be a slender, silver-skinned woman with stormcloud-grey hair down to her ankles. Layers of mist shrouded her from head to toe, shifting in slow, sinuous circles, though the woman herself remained as still as a statue. "That appears to be the spirit trapped in the mirror, but she doesn't seem to want to come closer."

Shunsui smirked with more confidence than he felt. "Then we'll simply have to go to her." He rested a hand on the hilt of his zanpakuto – he'd wonder later how it could be at his hip when its manifested forms stood beside him – and took a step forward.

Juushiro caught his hand. "Surely that's what she wants," he pointed out softly.

Again, Shunsui shrugged. "Maybe, but it's also what we want, so we may as well do it." He had a feeling that here, in her own world, Akarui Mira didn't need to be near them to harm them. But getting closer would allow them to converse, which could only be a good thing.

"You'd think so, wouldn't you?" his zanpakuto murmured, smile slashing across her face like a knife. Then she laughed. "But, in this case, you may very well be right." She gestured towards the island holding the figure, a sword shaped like a scimitar materializing in her hand. "Lead on."

With no few misgivings, Shunsui obeyed. He would have loved to study the blade she now wielded, and desperately wanted to ask why she'd chosen to summon it now, but neither felt prudent at this point in time. Still, he closed his fingers more firmly around the hilt of his own blade. If his zanpakuto had a reason to be on high alert, it would be foolish not to follow her example.

Akarui Mira watched them in silence as they approached, making no move to attack or retreat. She bore no blade that Shunsui could see, and emanated no sense of spiritual pressure, but neither fact made him more confident. She'd already convinced one woman to commit suicide, and had awoken at least a dozen monsters – what more could she do?

 _I wish I could see her face_ , he thought idly as he picked his way past another dewdrop on the web. _It'd give me some clue as to what she's thinking_. But mist covered all but her eyes, eyes that reflected the star-studded darkness surrounding them.

Then the mist dissolved, as though she could hear his thoughts, and his stomach churned. _That's_ … He gulped. _What happened to her?_ Her face looked as though someone had taken a human face, shattered it into a hundred pieces, then clumsily glued them back together. In places, darkness shone through, as though pieces of her face were simply missing. And even the pieces that formed a semblance of a living face were seamed with ridged grey scars, stark and cruel against the silver sheen of her skin.

Her laugh, when it came, was the harsh croak of a raven. "Satisfied, youngling?"

Shunsui bowed his head. "Akarui Mira, I presume?" He stepped onto her island, close enough to reach out and touch her. Beside him, Juushiro did the same, every muscle in his body radiating wariness.

Her lips spread into an expression that was presumably supposed to be a smile. "I should ask how you know my name, but given your companions, I'm not surprised." She bowed to the women following him. "Katen. I wasn't expecting you."

The older woman bowed in return, hands folded in front of her chest. "Mira, what happened to you?"

"What do you think?" Akarui Mira threw out a hand, dislodging some of the mist and revealing more scars lining her arm. "What does it look like?" Wildness flared in her eyes. "Do you know how long I've been here, waiting, watching? Do you?" Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Do you know what it's like to be trapped in here for centuries, only able to speak to the greedy fools who held me?" Another raven's croak of a laugh as she grinned viciously. "Oh, I made them pay for that greed, though." Her eyes drifted halfway closed. "Just as you'll pay."

"Mira, don't…" Shunsui's zanpakuto started, but it was too late. As Akarui Mira threw out a hand, a gale-force wind smashing into Shunsui's chest, sending him stumbling backwards. Mist, clammy and cold, wrapped around his head, blinding him to his surroundings as it seeped into his skin. He crouched, scrabbling to stay on the little island, as the gale howled in his ears.

Then, all at once, it ceased.

"Your boy has gone and done it again." The voice was hard and gravelly, full of scorn. "You coddled him too much, and now we're paying the price."

Shunsui blinked uncertainly. "Father?" The man standing in front of him certainly looked like his father, tall and bearded, with grey hair threading through his dark brown locks, but how had he gotten into the mirror world? _Or_ … Shunsui looked around at the manicured gardens, complete with koi pond and an elegant little bridge over a trickling brook. _How did I get out?_

His father snorted. "He's brought dishonor on this family, and you know it, Hanako."

"Mom?" Shunsui whispered, only now seeing her as she folded her hands in her sleeves.

She paid him no heed as she sighed. "Perhaps you were right. This latest scandal…" She shook her head. "No, scandal is not the right word for his actions. He is no son of mine after what he did."

Shunsui rocked back as though he'd been punched. "Mom?" he repeated, stunned. The disdain from his father didn't surprise him, but her words… His eyes stung. "Mom, what do you mean?" His voice shook as he forced the words out.

But she ignored him. "I hoped that the Academy would teach him discipline, but I was wrong. At least Seiichi has grown up into a fine young man."

Shunsui's father nodded. "A worthy heir to the Kyoraku clan."

Shunsui took a step forward. "Father…" He held out a hand. "Please, Father, listen to me!"

But, even as he spoke, the garden dissolved around him, enveloping him in darkness. As he tried to take a step forward, his foot ran into something heavy and wooden. He flung out a hand to catch himself, and touched blankets. _Where am I?_

A low sob was his only answer. He peered into the darkness, trying to force his eyes to adjust, as another muffled sob pierced his heart. "Dammit, Shunsui…"

Shunsui flinched. That voice sounded far too familiar. "Juu-chan?"

The rustle of blankets answered him. "Why do you have to be such an idiot sometimes?" Juushiro's voice was hoarse, as though he'd been crying for some time.

"What do you mean?" Shunsui started forward, finally recognizing their dorm room, only to stumble to a halt when Juushiro gave no sign that he heard anything. "Juu-chan?" he asked uncertainly.

His roommate's laugh was broken. "Yes, he's a prick," he murmured, clearly in answer to a comment from his zanpakuto. "You're right…"

Shunsui's heart contracted at the pain in that statement, and he clenched his fists. "Enough." This had to be some sort of trick from Akarui Mira. This wasn't actually happening.

"Oh, it actually happened," a voice murmured, coming from nowhere and everywhere. "What you see is truth and nothing but the truth. Do you want some more?"

Before he could answer, the voice cackled, and the dorm room vanished, to be replaced by a massacre. The reek of torn bowels smacked Shunsui in the face as he gazed around in horror at a valley that had become a bloodbath. Hikaru, one arm nearly severed, lay in a puddle of his own blood just two feet away, while Aono lay sprawled like a broken rag doll beside him. Ryuu and Taro were nowhere to be seen, while Rei fought frantically to protect Hikaru's body from the advancing hollows.

Even as Shunsui watched, hands clenching uselessly at his sides, a vicious cut from one of the smaller hollows got past her guard, slicing open her ribcage and sending her tumbling backwards. When she rose, she stumbled, one hand pressed to the wound gaping in her side. Shunsui screamed in protest.

"Enough."

And the battlefield, too, disappeared. Shunsui's zanpakuto shook her head. "Stop letting her control this fight. Make it yours." She pursed her carmine lips, then pressed a kiss to his forehead. He swayed, dazed, as knowledge flooded his mind, and she laughed. "Do you know what to do now?"

He nodded, then drew his blade. The words that she had imprinted in his mind came to his lips without any conscious thought, taking over his voice as he summoned every drop of spirit energy he could muster. "Flower wind rage and flower god roar, heavenly wind rage and heavenly demon sneer! Katen Kyokotsu!"

White light filled the mirror world as his hands were abruptly filled with the hilts of two black Chinese scimitars. He grinned ferally. "My turn."

Katen Kyokotsu smiled approvingly at him. "Finally."

Shunsui turned to face Akarui Mira. "Let's play a game," he suggested nonchalantly. "You've got this world set up in such a nice way for it, after all." He glanced over at Juushiro. "Follow my lead, alright?"

Juushiro nodded, trust reflected in his eyes, as Akarui Mira smirked. "Game? You want to play a game now?"

Shunsui spread his hands, Katen Kyokotsu licking her lips behind him, and nodded. "It's called cat's cradle. It's simple, really – you see this little spiderweb of yours?" Akarui Mira paled, the scars on her broken face standing out even more starkly, and he narrowed his eyes. "They don't look too strong, you know. So here's how we'll play this: first person to get stuck on an island loses." And, before she could process that, he sliced down at the nearest strand.

It severed more easily than he was expecting, and he nearly overbalanced, but recovered before falling into the void. Katen Kyokotsu smirked. "This should be fun," she laughed as they flashed to the next strand.

Akarui Mira's eyes flared. "Don't you dare," she snarled, producing a wicked-looking spear from thin air. "You will regret this!"

And the race was on. Most of the islands were too far away to flashstep to, so it quickly turned into a strategy game – flash to an island, cut all but one thread, then cut the last one as you leapt away. Shunsui was careful not to trap himself, but Akarui Mira nearly caught him more than once simply by knowing her realm far better. And those visions of hers were no joke – each time she hurled one at him, it cost him precious seconds to break free. Sometimes longer – watching the scenes was frighteningly seductive, for something inside Shunsui told him that Akarui Mira hadn't been lying about their veracity. These scenes, whatever they were, had happened.

Or were happening. Time and time again, she sent him images of the battle taking place in the world outside of the mirror, and each time the situation had grown worse. Rage and anguish grew in equal measure in Shunsui's heart, wrapped in an implacable determination – he was going to defeat this spirit, kami take it, and rescue his friends!

He slashed through another strand of the web, gathering his breath before leaping to a nearby island. The net was growing sparse now, and every move required more planning, but his anger fueled his movement. Katen Kyokotsu's forms trailed him, mirroring his movements, while on the other side of the battlefield, Juushiro worked to cut off Akarui Mira's escape routes. Shunsui bared his teeth. _Almost got you_.

He flashed towards Juushiro, cutting through errant strands of the net as he went. "I've got…" he started to say.

Then a blow from nowhere smashed into his back, setting his nerves on fire as he tumbled off of the web.

* * *

Juushiro's heart stopped as Shunsui suddenly pitched to the side, somersaulting in a tangle of limbs off of the strand of net. "Shunsui!" Even as he screamed, he leapt forward, hands outstretched in an attempt to grab something, anything…

One hand snagged on cloth. Juushiro closed his fingers convulsively, only to find himself falling into the void as well. The slippery net provided no traction, no way for him to anchor himself and haul Shunsui back up. He closed his eyes. _I'm sorry, love_ …

A jerk on the back of his gi arrested his fall. "Got you!" his zanpakuto exclaimed in unison.

"Just hold on," Shunsui's zanpakuto added, a faint strand of worry overlaying her superciliousness. "We won't let you fall."

Juushiro heaved a sigh of relief as the combined efforts of the four spirits hauled him and Shunsui back onto semi-stable ground. "Thank you, all of you," he murmured, then frowned. "What was that?"

Shunsui groaned. "I don't know, but it hurt."

"Stop whining," his zanpakuto barked, and he grinned.

"Something from outside," Juushiro's twins said, glancing at each other and nodding. Then they seized Juushiro's hands. "Let's go!"

Before Juushiro could protest, the twins dove off of the net, dragging him with them and laughing as they fell. Juushiro's heart stopped for the second time in as many minutes as they hurtled towards the faraway stars, only to restart abruptly as they landed with a thud on blood-smeared grass under a perfectly ordinary sunset sky. "What the…" he started.

Then a bellow made him look up. And up. And up. "Kami…"

Like the kirin, the monster towering above him was something he'd never expected to see. In form, it resembled a giant skeleton, three times the height of a man, but its bones were piecemeal puzzles of hundreds of smaller bones. Its skull was cracked and crazed, with deep pits of black-edged fire where the eyes should have gone. More flame, woven into dark ropes, took the place of sinew and muscle, surrounding the bones with a cruel halo that flickered and twisted as the thing moved.

Juushiro swallowed hard. "Gashadokuro," he whispered, backing up as it swung its ponderous head towards him. _I never_ … He shuddered. Gashadokuro were said to be formed from the bones of those who died from starvation or in battle – in a sense, they were the physical counterparts of the hollows that came from the spirits of the dead. But no shinigami had seen one in centuries.

"Ooh, that thing's ugly!" The voice sounded more fascinated than repelled.

Juushiro blinked. He hadn't realized that the twins had accompanied him out of the mirror world. For some reason, he'd assumed that they couldn't manifest in the real world, but here they were, standing on either side of him and eying the gashadokuro with a mixture of horror and interest.

As the monster lifted its hand, Juushiro drew his blade. "Get out of here!" he urged them, shooing them backwards with his free hand. "You'll get hurt otherwise!" Neither bore any weapons, and they couldn't have been older than ten in their current forms.

The twins laughed, staying where they were as the gashadokuro's eyes flared hotly. Its mouth gaped open as it lunged forward, moving with surprising speed for something that big. Juushiro brought his blade up and braced himself, one eye on the twins. "Get…" he started to say, heart pounding.

"Don't be silly!" The two leapt into the air, somehow manifesting fans in their hands, and caught the gashadokuro's hand as it descended. It bellowed, shadowy tendons brightening as it tried to force its hand down, but they planted their feet in midair and forced its arm up.

Deprived of its prey, it snarled, swiping through the battlefield with its free hand. Two hollows, too slow or too unwary, fell to the massive blow, and Juushiro caught a glimpse of Whisper vaulting over the bony fingers in pursuit of a third. He breathed a silent sigh of relief at that – her face was streaked with blood, and a gash gaped obscenely on her chest, but she was grinning fiercely and moving faster than ever. Beyond her, behind the gashadokuro, Koji fought with grim determination, sending pillar after pillar of earth to smash through the hollows surrounding him.

But the rest of the group wasn't faring so well. Rei had fallen on top of Hikaru, bleeding freely from a wound in her side, while Aono lay beside them in a puddle of his own blood. None of the three were moving. Near the edge of the clearing, Taro and Ryuu fought side by side, slowly retreating as one of the smaller hollows pressed them backwards. Taro's left arm hung limp at his side, sleeve cut away, while Ryuu limped heavily. The hollow fighting them laughed, tossing off lightning-fast attacks with the sort of casual ease of a cat toying with a mouse.

Juushiro didn't have time to worry about them, though, for the gashadokuro was only momentarily stymied. With a hideous screech, it clenched its hand into a fist, knocking one twin out of the air and grabbing the other around the torso. Then, in a voice like shattering rock, it spoke. "What. Are. You?"

"Bakudo 30: Shtotsu Sansen!"

As the monster reeled backwards, pierced by the triple beams of golden light, Juushiro sucked in a breath and flung out his hand. "Bakudo 37: Tsuriboshi!"

The twin who'd been held in the gashadokuro's hand bounced off of the safety net Juushiro had conjured and grinned. "Thanks!" He – she? – they? – turned to their twin. "That didn't work."

Before the other twin could reply, the gashadokuro roared and broke Juushiro's bakudo binding. Juushiro swore under his breath and yanked more spirit energy into his hands. "Hado 33: Sokatsui!" As the blue fireball sped towards the monster, he sucked in a breath. "Hado 48: Gaki Rekko!"

As the second spell left his fingertips, surrounding the gashadokuro with a circle of green light that fired inwards, he swayed on his feet. Four kido spells in a row was a terrible idea, and he knew it, but what other choice did he have? Still, he couldn't cast many more of them, and they hardly seemed to affect the thing facing him. Even as he watched, the green bolts splashed across the bone of its skull like water, leaving faint scorch marks but doing no real damage.

They did appear to annoy the monster, though, who roared again before scooping up one of the larger hollows. The hollow writhed and squealed, but the gashadokuro ignored its struggles as it lifted the hollow to its mouth and bit down.

Juushiro paled. Two more bites, and the gashadokuro had consumed the hollow, leaving nothing behind. The fire in its eye sockets surged, and it laughed. "You. Are. Next."

"Not if we have anything to say about it!" The twins stepped up to either side of Juushiro, taking both of his hands, and grinned. Despite his misgivings, Juushiro let them – surely they had a reason for effectively disarming him.

They didn't disappoint him. "All waves, rise now and become our shield! Lightning, strike now and become our blade!" They giggled in unison. "Sogyo no Kotowari!"

Juushiro's breath caught in his throat as power like he'd never felt before surged through him. The scent of the sea rose all around him, mixed with the tang of burnt ozone, as the twins vanished into thin air. In their place, he found himself holding a pair of long blades connected at the hilt by a red velvet rope strung with charms, each of which bore a rune engraved on it. Secondary spikes protruded from each blade, giving them the appearance of reversed hachiwari.

Juushiro hefted them in his hands, lips stretching into a smile. "Thank you," he murmured to the spirits who were surely inhabiting each sword now. "I will use them well."

 _We hope so!_

As the giggles faded into his mind, he set his feet in the stance that he'd practiced with Shunsui back in the Ukitake family dojo. The gashadokuro roared and leapt for him, one bony hand swinging down in an attempt to seize him the same way it had grabbed the luckless hollow it had eaten.

Without batting an eye, Juushiro flashed out of the way, leaping above the hand as it swung for him and slashing down. A jolt radiated through his shoulder as the blades sliced into the bone, cutting halfway through it before getting stuck. Before the gashadokuro could react, though, another flashstep took Juushiro safely out of the way, leaving the monster shaking its hand and bellowing. Then, as its eyes heated, he flashed back in, delivering another cut to its arm. Bones of its victims tumbled off as he withdrew his blades.

That infuriated the gashadokuro. Snatching another hollow – the battlefield was quickly becoming depleted – it chomped down. Juushiro watched in horror as the bones that he'd cut began to move, grinding against each other as they filled in the gaps that he'd created. The gashadokuro laughed. "I. Am. Immortal!" It snatched up another hollow and chowed down.

Even as it healed further, Juushiro was moving, drawing on all of his reserves to move faster than he'd ever moved before. _If I can just cut it to pieces_ … Surely it couldn't regenerate forever – if nothing else, it would run out of hollows to eat. So he just had to wear it down.

His confidence grew as Sogyo no Kotowari sliced into it, chipping away at arms and skull each time he flashed past. The gashadokuro bellowed, growing more and more enraged as it swiped for him, waving its hands like a man trying to swat a fly, but its movements were growing incrementally slower with each cut he made. _I can do this!_

Then a massive fist slammed into his side. Before he could process the pain, he tumbled out of the sky, smashing into a tree trunk at far too high a speed. Something inside his ribs cracked, and he screamed. Then doubled over, coughing, as his lungs protested the treatment. Blood spattered his lips, and the gashadokuro laughed.

"Don't just lie there, get up!" Whisper yelled, flashing past faster than the eye could follow.

Juushiro hauled himself to his feet, propping himself up with Sogyo no Kotowari's blades. The coughing fit left his head spinning, but he pushed the pain away. _I can't give up now_. Though he wasn't sure how much longer he could fight – just standing sapped his energy at a terrifying rate – he couldn't stop now.

 _There's the spirit_ , his zanpakuto encouraged him. The scent of salt around him intensified as they giggled. _Now, try this_. And they flooded his brain with information.

Juushiro took as deep of a breath as he could without restarting his cough. _I'll try_ , he promised, bringing his left sword up to point straight at the gashadokuro.

It peered at him, skull tilted to one side, then grinned. Almost leisurely, it grabbed for him, clearly counting on his broken ribs to prevent him from dodging. And it was right – Juushiro wouldn't have been able to flash out of the way, even at its present speed of attack. But he didn't want to.

As its hand closed around him, he stabbed Sogyo no Kotowari's blade into the fiery tendon in the thing's wrist. The blade bloomed with fierce white light, greedily absorbing the energy in the spectral flesh, and the gashadokuro paused, fingers only a foot from Juushiro's chest. "What?"

Juushiro leaned on the blade, forcing it deeper. Then, with a hoarse kiai, swung his right hand up and aimed it directly at the gashadokuro's head. "Sogyo no Kotowari!"

All the energy from his left-hand blade exploded from his right, a torrent of black-edged flame that blasted straight through the gashadokuro's skull. It screamed in pain as the bones crackled and blackened, skull disintegrating as Juushiro poured every last drop of spirit energy he had into the blow. Then, with a final shriek, it fell apart completely.

Juushiro slumped over. _Thanks_ … He crumpled to the ground. _That_ … But darkness enveloped him before he could complete the sentence.

* * *

Shunsui stared down at the prone figure huddled at his feet, feeling obscurely ashamed of himself. In the end, Akarui Mira had been no fighter or strategist, just a broken spirit with a single trick up her sleeve. Defeating her brought him no joy, only a weary relief that it was finally over. _Mika, wherever you are, I hope this helps_.

As his zanpakuto watched soberly, he knelt and held out a hand. "Akarui Mira?"

She lifted her tearstained, scarred face to the light, and he flinched, but managed not to recoil. "Yes?"

Shunsui hesitated. "What… what do you want me to do now?" They'd come here to neutralize her, after all – kill her, in effect – but he couldn't bring himself to deliver the final blow now.

Her laugh was broken, full of sorrow and wonderment. "You're giving me a choice?"

Behind him, an audible snort told Shunsui what Katen Kyokotsu thought of this, but he nodded firmly. "Yes. If you'll promise to behave, I'll leave here and let you live. But you can't keep waking monsters and driving people to suicide, alright?"

Her eyes closed. "I can't make that promise," she whispered, bowing her head. Then she straightened. "Will you free me?"

It was Shunsui's turn to bow his head. "I was afraid you'd ask that," he murmured. The request didn't surprise him – she was a zanpakuto without a master, trapped in an endless existence in her shattered world with no surcease in sight. But she looked like a woman in mourning, and everything in him rebelled against harming her further.

But there was no other option, and he knew it. His fingers tightened on the hilt of his swords as he rose, sheathing the smaller one. "Are you sure?"

She nodded and pulled herself into seiza, kneeling in front of him with her neck bared. "Do it."

Shunsui laid a hand on her shoulder. "Before I do, will you do something for me?" he asked gently. When she nodded, he forced a smile. "Will you enter the minds of all the creatures out there that you summoned and show them something that will make them go away? Show them that they will never possess your power, maybe – that should do it." It was the only thing he could think of to help his friends.

After a moment, Akarui Mira nodded. "It's done." She let her head fall forward again. "Please, do it now."

Biting back a sob, Shunsui obeyed.

* * *

The transition back to the real world hit him like a hammer, sending him to his knees. Tears fell freely from his eyes as he stared around at the carnage, taking in the bloodstained grass and the few knots of combat still taking place. Then a shock of white hair caught his eye, and his heart stopped. "No!" He sprinted forward, heedless of the danger. "Juushiro!"

As he fell to his knees beside his lover, Juushiro's eyes drifted open. "Shunsui?"

Relief flooded Shunsui. "Oh, thank kami…" He planted a fierce kiss on Juushiro's lips. "You're alive."

"So are you," Juushiro murmured, using Shunsui's shoulder to lever himself upright. He glanced around the battlefield, which had abruptly fallen still. "What's happening?"

Shunsui rose and helped Juushiro to his feet. "Let's find out."

As he limped forward, the four remaining smaller hollows glanced at each other. The one who had been fighting Whisper smirked, then bowed. "You've fought well, for shinigami."

She rolled her eyes. "You think I'm a soul reaper? Think again."

It shrugged. "You wield a zanpakuto with the strength of a captain. But, regardless, you all have fought well." It ran an eye over the remainder of the group, bloodstained and weary. Shunsui wondered what it was thinking – did it see them as bugs to be squashed, opponents that would be pitifully easy to beat? Or did it think that there would be no glory in such one-sided combat? He harbored no illusions – if the four chose to press the attack, they'd win without breaking a sweat. Koji looked to be holding his feet by strength of will alone, while Juushiro leaned on his zanpakuto stay upright. Even Whisper's face was grey, while the rest of their classmates were scattered on the ground behind them – alive or dead, Shunsui didn't know.

Thankfully, the hollows didn't seem determined to massacre them. "Still, we see no reason to continue the fight now." It nodded at the mirror, now no more than a simple reflective surface. "Enjoy your prize, such as it is."

Shunsui heaved a silent sigh of relief as, without fanfare, they vanished. _So it worked. Thank you, milady mirror_.

As the silence stretched onwards, Whisper shook her head. "Well, let's see what we can do for your comrades." She shook the blood off of her blade, lips quirking. "Come, Minazuki. Help me heal these children."

Shunsui didn't have the energy to marvel at the manta-ray-like creature that materialized in a cloud of green smoke as she spoke. But his eyes widened as, one by one, it swallowed his injured classmates. "Won't that…" he started.

Whisper gave him an irritated look. "If anything can help, she can. Now hush."

Shunsui swayed on his feet, then decided that the ground looked like a great place to be. "Yes, ma'am." He grinned foolishly as the adrenaline seeped out of his bloodstream, leaving him lightheaded. "You're hot when you give commands, you know that?"

Whisper just snorted at that.

* * *

 **Author's Note** : So, who guessed Whisper's real identity? I hope you all find that satisfying –I'm playing a bit fast and loose with canon, in some ways, but I hope you all like it. As always, major thanks to speedfanatic05, Guest, and EmpressSaix for their gorgeous reviews!


	28. Trials and Triumph

**Chapter 28: Trials and Triumph**

Despite returning on the evening of the second day of classes, Shunsui had harbored faint hopes of sneaking back to the Academy unnoticed. But the guards at the gate disabused him of that notion in a hurry. "Yamamoto-sensei would like to see you," the shinigami informed them, tone hard. "All of you."

Rei swiped a weary hand over her forehead, leaving streaks in the dust coating her skin. "Can we clean up first?"

The guard shook his head. "My orders were to bring you to the headmaster immediately." His eyes lightened with sympathy as he took in their bedraggled, bandaged state. Whisper's healing had worked wonders, but she could only do so much, and the days of traveling hadn't helped. "I'm sorry."

Rei shrugged. "Orders are orders." She gave him an ironic little bow. "Are you ordered to escort us, as well, or are we trusted to find our own way to his office?" Her tone was dry.

The corners of his lips twitched. "After you, Kuchiki-san." He waved a hand towards the center of the Academy.

Shunsui bit back a groan as he followed Rei through the gates, shifting the mirror to a more comfortable position on his hip. _If they're going to expel us, can they do it after we've taken a bath? And eaten?_ His skin was coated with a disgusting mixture of sweat, dirt, and blood, while his stomach was loudly protesting the scant rations of the last few days. The mirror was wearing a groove on his hip, as well, though they'd passed it around the less-injured members of the group so no one had to carry it for too long. And he kept tripping over his zanpakuto – apparently, Katen Kyokotsu naturally took the form of a daisho pair of blades, and she had declined to return to a single sword when she left her shikai state.

He stole a glance at Juushiro, whose pale skin had grown steadily paler over the last leg of their journey. Though his zanpakuto also took the form of a sword pair when released, they were apparently content to be a single blade when sealed, for Juushiro bore a lone katana at his hip. But no one would mistake it for an ordinary asauchi – yet another fact they would need to explain, Shunsui suspected glumly. At least their teachers would probably be happy with that one, unlike so many others.

 _What, your teachers won't be pleased that you rid the world of a dangerous menace?_ Katen Kyokotsu asked innocently.

Shunsui bit back the urge to glare at the swords on his hip. _We ditched class without telling them to confront something that should have gotten us killed. Do you really think that makes them happy?_ He shook his head. Expulsion was unlikely, but lesser punishments? _If we escape without a whipping, I will count myself lucky_.

As the guard slid open the door to Yamamoto's office, a blast of fiery reiatsu to billowed out, and Shunsui flinched. _Make that incredibly lucky… I've never seen the headmaster so furious_. Yamamoto was releasing the reiatsu deliberately, of course – at least Shunsui assumed so – but that didn't make it any less terrifying.

"I've brought them, sir," the guard announced with a bow.

"You are dismissed," Yamamoto grated. A long pause followed, as the assembled students shifted their weight, then, "You may enter."

Butterflies fluttered in Shunsui's stomach as he and the others filed into the spartan office, dropping to kneel in seiza as soon as they were inside. Yamamoto wasn't the only one waiting for them – Kichiro-sensei stood beside the desk, face like granite, while Shihoin-sensei lounged against the wall, examining her nails. Omaeda-sensei was there as well, frowning as he stared at Koji. Shunsui was puzzled by that for a moment, until he realized that Omaeda must be in charge of whatever group the commoner had been assigned to – then he winced. He hadn't even considered the risk Koji was taking by accompanying them, yet he was surely still on probation.

Yamamoto regarded them all with a chilly expression for a long moment before he broke the silence. "What were you all thinking?" Despite the heat of his reiatsu filling the office, his tone was mild.

"You see, sir…" Rei launched into an explanation of the mirror, Gorou Shiba's actions, and their own decisions, and Yamamoto held up a hand.

"I know what you were trying to accomplish," he informed her sourly, with a nod towards Shihoin-sensei. "I want to know what you were thinking."

Before any of them could answer, Kichiro-sensei stepped forward. "Especially you, Kuchiki-san. Your parents forbid you to risk yourself, as they were right and proper to do, so you embark on this escapade to prove that their restrictions were necessary? And Sato-san…" He sighed. "Yamamoto-san, I warned you that including women was a bad idea, yet you persisted. And I warned you about commoners, as well. Now will you see that I'm right?"

Yamamoto shook his head. "Let them speak," he admonished Kichiro-sensei, who scowled as he pressed his lips together. Sullen, frustrated reiatsu swirled about him, dull shades of red like dried blood.

Rei glanced at Hikaru, then squared her shoulders. "Mika was my best friend, and the Fujimoto clan are vassals of the Kuchiki clan. It was my duty to avenge her." Her voice was soft but firm, with no hint of insecurity.

Shunsui bowed his head. "Mine as well, sensei. It was my carelessness that lead to her unjust death, and I owed her spirit the chance to rest in peace." His throat tightened, one hand tensing as he prevented himself from gripping the pink armband that still encircled his bicep.

After a pause, Yamamoto grunted. "Your motives are admirable, even if your actions were foolish," he admitted, rocking back on his heels.

Shihoin-sensei cocked her head to one side. "Why not ask for help, though?" She pursed her lips. "We received reports of a massive outpouring of reiatsu, product of a battle that should have left you all dead or grievously wounded. I see you two found your shikai states…" She nodded at Shunsui and Juushiro. "But even that shouldn't have been enough. Did you find backup from your clans?"

Shunsui carefully avoided looking at the other students as he shrugged. "Like they'd be happy to support us? No, we did it on our own." It wasn't quite a lie, he told himself, even as his gut twisted with shame. If Whisper, who had vanished into the city as soon as they'd stepped through the outer gates, counted as one of them, it was true, though.

His shoulders tensed as Shihoin-sensei studied him, eyes narrowed. Of all the teachers present, she knew the most about their extracurricular activities – he had the sneaking suspicion that she could see straight through his misdirection, but was choosing not to challenge him for reasons of her own. Instead, she just shook her head. "You were very lucky, then. But that doesn't answer my first question – why not ask for aid?"

"We didn't think of it," Shunsui replied honestly. That was his fault, he suspected – he'd been so caught up in the fever of finally having something productive to do that he hadn't questioned the sense of their actions.

A pink blush spread across Juushiro's cheeks. "I'm sorry, sensei," he murmured, bowing his head. "We shouldn't have done this on our own."

She shrugged. "In the end, I suppose it all turned out fine, so I wouldn't waste your energy on regrets."

"Fine?" Kichiro-sensei burst out, rage suffusing his tone. "You call this fine? They vanish without permission, miss multiple days of school, and return with this ludicrous story about a magic mirror that they just happened to stumble across in the middle of the wilderness, and that's fine?" He sneered at the mirror, which Shunsui had propped against his side. "That doesn't look like a terrifying forbidden artifact to me. How do we know they're telling the truth?"

"It's not magical anymore, we deactivated it," Shunsui replied hotly. Juushiro laid a calming hand on his knee, and he shut his mouth on the rest of the words threatening to emerge, though they still seethed in his mind. _And it's a good thing we did, too, or you'd have a pack of overpowered hollows on your head right now. Maybe then you wouldn't be so condescending, hmm?_

"That's hardly…" Kichiro-sensei began, face flushing.

"Now, don't be so hasty," Shihoin-sensei interrupted. She prowled forward and dropped to one knee beside the mirror, running a slender finger over the runes carved into the wood. "I'd need to study this for a while, but I can say right now that the reiatsu traces left in the wood confirm that a spirit was trapped in here. And these runes…" She frowned. "This is certainly one of the artifacts whose creation is now forbidden." Her lips twisted as she rose and returned to her post against the wall, and Shunsui wondered what she was feeling. Disgust at the forbidden techniques? Sorrow that they'd locked away such knowledge? Indigestion?

 _You have no sense of ceremony_ , Katen Kyokotsu informed him acidly.

Shunsui swept her a grandiose bow within his head. _Guilty as charged_. The corners of his lips twitched, and he hastily rearranged his face into a more sober expression. _Now hush, I'm listening_.

Yamamoto sighed, the wrinkles on his face deepening as he studied the mirror with a faraway expression. Something in his eyes looked infinitely old as he shook his head. "If what you all have told me is true, you have done us a service by freeing the poor spirit trapped in here." His tone hardened. "But you are leaving out a crucial piece of information, I believe. How did you find the mirror in the first place?"

Shunsui and Juushiro exchanged glances. Thus far, they'd avoided any mention of their own interactions with Whisper, as they'd agreed among themselves, but now, that pretense was up. Juushiro spread his hands. "We told you that Shiba-san hired a thief to steal the mirror from his own family, right? Well, we went to talk to that thief."

"And…" Shunsui hesitated, unsure if Whisper wanted people to continue to think of her as male. "The thief led us to the mirror. For a price, of course."

Yamamoto snorted. In and of itself, Shunsui's admission broke no laws, though it skirted dangerously close to dishonor. "Well." He exhaled slowly. "Young men will be young men, I suppose. But that answers that question." To Shunsui's relief, he didn't ask if the thief had taken part in the battle – perhaps he assumed that a common thief would never be able to fight on that level. Shunsui, who still owed Whisper a sizable favor, had no intention of enlightening him on that account. She'd promised to collect 'later, when the time is right.' He hated to think of when that would be, but he had no intention of going back on his word, no matter what Yamamoto thought of it.

But all thoughts of his debt were driven out of his mind by Yamamoto's next words. "You do realize, though, that your actions – while admirable – will not help your case against young Shiba?"

Shunsui sucked in a breath, feeling like he'd been punched, while Rei paled. "What do you mean?" Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, pressed hard onto her thighs as though they alone kept her from leaping to her feet.

Yamamoto shook his head slowly. "Without the spirit in the mirror to corroborate your story, all you have is a defunct artifact. No tribunal will accept that as proof."

Shunsui swallowed, then swallowed again. "But…" he started, then let the sentence trail off. _But we came all this way_ … It wasn't fair. They had all the pieces, kami take it, they just needed to convince a tribunal of them. But there was no way Gorou would confess, Whisper had refused to testify, and now their last hope had vanished. His head swam. _But_ …

"But we have proof!" Rei bared her teeth. "The mirror was right there, right where… the thief… led us! Isn't that enough?"

"You have no proof of that," Yamamoto informed her coolly. "And no proof that this mysterious thief was telling the truth about the events of that night – I'm assuming that's where you came up with this theory about Shiba-san's ill-fated use of hollow bait." His eyes speared Shunsui and Juushiro, and Shunsui gulped. Did the headmaster know about their illegal use of a truth compulsion kido?

Shihoin-sensei – who knew the full story, or most of it – tilted her head to one side. "What if the tribunal heard the testimony of the thief themself? Would that be sufficient?"

"We asked," Hikaru said gloomily, while Yamamoto frowned.

"It might work," the aged sensei admitted. "Though I would not count it as a sure thing."

Juushiro studied his sensei with a peculiar expression. "We asked if the thief would testify, and were told no," he told her. Still careful to avoid revealing Whisper's name or gender, Shunsui noted. "How do you plan to change that?"

Shihoin-sensei's smile was feline. "Leave that to me."

Yamamoto coughed. "And if the tribunal does accept the testimony of a known criminal? What would you have them do then?" His scarred eyebrows dipped towards the bridge of his nose.

Rei's reiatsu flared to a fever pitch. "He deserves to pay," she snapped. "Sir," she added belatedly.

Yamamoto's own spiritual pressure rose a fraction in warning. "Calm yourself, Kuchiki-san. I will not claim that Shiba-san's actions were honorable, but he committed no major crime himself. Stealing from his own clan, well… that is a matter for his own clan and his own clan alone."

Shunsui struggled to get enough air. "And Fujimoto-san's death?" he managed, sparks dancing at the corners of his vision.

Yamamoto heaved a sigh. "Regrettable. But he did not kill her."

"His actions did," Rei interrupted.

Yamamoto frowned at her. "I grant you that. But that is not enough to punish him for murder. And his clan will hardly allow one of their heirs to die for carelessness, even carelessness that led to the death of another noble. Fujimoto-san was only a girl from a lesser clan, after all."

"Her death is evidence that women do not, cannot belong in combat," Kichiro-sensei added acidly. "But that will not convince the tribunal to punish Shiba."

If looks could kill, Rei's glare would have murdered Kichiro-sensei on the spot, and Shunsui would have been right behind her. How dare he say something like that about Mika? Her death had been the fault of the ambush, not any sort of failing on her part. _And my fault, of course. Can't forget that_. His lips twisted.

But before he could shape his rage into coherent words, Juushiro spoke up. "You do not deny that he deserves punishment, and I am sure that a tribunal will agree that his actions are hardly befitting that of a noble heir. As a son of the Shiba clan, he has a responsibility to act with discretion and honor at all times, and he failed that many times over." He hesitated. "I suggest that we lay this before the tribunal – have Shiba-san serve for a time in the outermost patrols. Let him lay his own body and blade between the hollows to prevent more such deaths."

Slowly, Shunsui's fury sank back in his breast. Such an assignment would be a major disgrace for Gorou, who – before he quit the Academy – could have expected a commanding role in one of the divisions around the Seireitei itself. To be exiled to the outermost patrols as a common soldier would teach him humility, if nothing else. Shunsui nodded slowly.

After a long, tense moment, Rei's shoulders lost their tension. "If the tribunal accepts that, that would satisfy me."

Yamamoto took a deep breath. "Do not get your hopes up, younglings." He frowned. "You are all in a significant amount of trouble. Until further notice, you are confined to this Academy. If you leave without permission, you may never return." A long pause, as they absorbed the blow, then he sighed. "But…" He glanced at Shihoin-sensei. "If you can secure me that testimony, I will call a tribunal to order."

* * *

The tribunal building, set in the center of the Seireitei, bore a remarkable resemblance to a fancy confection. Three stories tall, with red roofs curling towards the sky, carvings and ornamentation graced every inch of its wooden walls. Dragons curled around the pillars holding up the deck that wrapped around the second floor, while less recognizable figures extended beneath the rooves. Herons danced over the gates of the entrance, which was guarded by a pair of uniformed shinigami bearing long polearms. They bowed stiffly as the group approached, but did not move from their posts.

Yamamoto nodded serenely back, unperturbed by their blank stares, and pushed open the gates. The students trooped after him like ducklings as he led the way through the courtyard gardens and into the building itself, glancing back over his shoulder only once to ensure that they followed. Shunsui shivered at the silent warning in that cold stare. _Be on your best behavior_.

Somehow, he suspected that he'd have no trouble remembering that. The paper screens of the hallways practically radiated censure; the air smelled of incense and old wood of the sort only found in the wealthiest households. The Kyoraku manor's visiting rooms smelled like that – held the same sort of oppressive reiatsu, too. A silent message to visitors: we're better than you.

Shunsui fought to keep his hands still at his sides. The pink ribbon around his bicep seemed to tighten as they walked farther into the manor, at last emerging into a spacious room that contained nothing but a long table at the far end. Five men knelt at that table, backlit by the window behind them so their expressions were concealed in shadow. Another two men, clad in full armor, stood beside either end of the table. And, to the left of the table, Gorou Shiba knelt, head hanging low.

Anger leapt in Shunsui's breast as he stared at the renegade student, but pity followed soon on its heels. Gorou wore a simple yukata, unsuited for both the weather and his rank, along with a pair of tattered trousers. His hair fell in oily strands around his face as he stared steadily at the ground, refusing to look up as the group entered. Dark reiatsu hung in the air around him, broken by thin patches of orange that clung to his skin like beaten puppies. Though he bore no chains, physical or kido, his back hunched as though he could feel the weight of shackles around his wrists.

 _Huh_. For once, Katen Kyokotsu had nothing snarky to say.

Shunsui heaved a sigh as he knelt along with the other students on a row of flat pillows placed near the middle of the room. Yamamoto and Shihoin-sensei advanced beyond them, bowing when they were several steps from the table. "Thank you for convening," Yamamoto intoned.

The man in the middle of the table, whose kimono bore the insignia of the Shihoin clan, nodded gravely. "Present your case."

Shunsui fought not to fidget as Yamamoto went over the facts for the thousandth time. If the old man was going to be the only one to speak, why had he brought the squad with him? Not that Shunsui wasn't grateful – he wouldn't have missed this for the world – but it grated on his nerves to remain silent while Yamamoto recited what the students had told him.

The discrepancy appeared to puzzle the tribunal, too, for the Shihoin representative waved a hand once Yamamoto had finished speaking. "We would like to hear from those who found this mirror."

Yamamoto inclined his head. "Of course. Kyoraku-san, Ukitake-san, please come forward."

The Shiba clan representative, resplendent in a dark blue kimono, leaned forward. "Describe this mirror for us."

Juushiro bowed. "No more than half of a man's height, with silvered glass and a dark wooden frame. Subtle runes are carved into the wood – we theorize that these runes were an essential part of the binding trapping the mirror spirit within the artifact."

The Shiba representative's lips thinned. "Were?"

Juushiro glanced over, and Shunsui took up the story. "Yes, sir. We freed Akarui Mira from her prison so she could not wake any more creatures best left sleeping." And so she could rest at last, but that was better left out for now. The tribunal didn't seem to be the kind of men who cared much about sentiment.

The Shihoin elder's eyes narrowed as he studied Shunsui and Juushiro. "You two did this?" His tone was carefully neutral.

Shunsui bowed. "With the help of the rest of the squad, yes."

"Hmm." The Shihoin elder leaned back on his heels, while the Shiba elder scowled.

"You have not produced this mirror. How do we know it came from our clan?" But his eyes glanced sideways as he said it, and Shunsui suppressed a triumphant grin. _Oh, you know where it came from, don't you… You just don't want to admit it_.

Shihoin-sensei stepped forward, proffering a glowing orb to the counsel. "I believe I can answer that, my lords." She waved her fingers over the orb, and a voice began to issue from it.

"I was hired by Gorou Shiba to transport the mirror from his clan's stronghold to somewhere far, far away. He promised to distract the patrols so I would have an unimpeded path away from the keep, as he did with the hollow bait that led to the unfortunate death, I later learned, of a young noble." The voice turned wry. "It is not the first time the mirror has been stolen – does it count as theft if the person holding it stole it themselves?"

Shihoin-sensei's eyes danced as the Fukui representative paled, glancing from side to side before snapping his eyes back forward. "Shall I continue the spell, my lords? Do you wish to know who else has owned this mirror?"

"No, that is quite enough," the Fukui clan elder choked out.

The Shiba elder frowned at Shihoin-sensei, a hint of disapproval in his dark eyes. "How do we know that this is valid?"

"Are you calling me a liar?" Shihoin-sensei asked, deceptively mild. "That would call into question the honor of my clan, after all, and I'm sure you don't wish to do that. I'm sure that your question was just a slip of the tongue – right?" She held her fingers over the orb, ready to start the voice once again, as she stared directly at the Shiba elder.

After far too long for Shunsui's comfort, he shook his head. "I apologize, Shihoin-san, for my words. I meant no slur to your clan."

She smiled gently. "Then I believe you have all the answers you need. Unless, of course…" She let the sentence trail off, fingers cocked.

The Fukui elder sighed. "You have made your point." He turned to the Shiba elder. "This fits the facts as we know them, and it is clear that young Shiba has failed to act with the honor expected of an heir to the great noble families. As he is from your clan, what do you suggest?"

The Shiba representative turned to look at Gorou, who remained as silent and still as granite, then sighed. "He may have failed to act with honor here, but he is a valuable member of the clan. However, we acknowledge that the Fujimoto clan has suffered a loss, so we are prepared to pay them a sum – say, twenty gold – in recompense."

Shunsui paled. "That's not fair!" he blurted out, before he could think better of it.

The weight of the gazes of five elders descended upon him. "It is not your place to determine that," the Kuchiki elder snapped, voice rough with age. "Be silent."

Before he could think of something to say, Juushiro's hand brushed against his. Nothing so obvious as a caress, not here, but a silent promise of support. "Honored elders," the slender student began, bowing low. "May I offer a suggestion?"

The Shihoin representative, after a glance at Shihoin-sensei – his daughter, perhaps? – nodded. "You may speak."

Juushiro bowed once again. "My thanks, elder." He spread his hands. "Allow Shiba-san to pay for his mistakes himself. Not in gold, but in service in the outermost patrols. Have him serve there for a year, place his own body and blade between the Seireitei and the hollows to prevent more such tragedies."

The Shiba elder pursed his lips. "Possible…" He glanced over at Gorou. "I would hear your thoughts on this, boy."

Gorou lifted his head, a spark of life finally returning to his reiatsu. "If it pleases the tribunal, then I would accept this punishment as just." His voice shook. "I never intended to harm anyone, and I regret that my actions led to Fujimoto-san's death." He turned to face Shunsui and Juushiro. "Thank you." He hesitated, as though he was going to add more, then shut his mouth.

Shunsui bowed his head in acknowledgement of the thanks. _In the end_ … He sighed. _Dammit, Shiba_. The thought was filled with resignation. _I guess I can't hate you, not now_. Not when he had just been trying to avenge his own mother's death, in the only way he knew how.

 _You're learning_ , Katen Kyokotsu commented wryly. _You're learning_.

Shunsui glanced over at Juushiro, whose white hair shone in the pale daylight coming through the window. _Because of him_.

The Shiba elder clapped his hands. "Very well, then. If the tribunal accepts that suggestion, the Shiba clan finds it acceptable."

"Fukui clan agrees."

"Shihoin clan agrees."

"Kuchiki clan accepts the punishment."

"Taira clan accepts as well."

The Shiba elder bowed his head. "Then we are agreed."

* * *

"So." Rei tossed her hair over her shoulder. "That's that, then." She glanced over her shoulder at the gates, which had shut firmly behind them when Yamamoto and Shihoin-sensei had ordered them back to the Academy. The two teachers had remained to consult with the tribunal, but had threatened dire retribution if the students didn't go straight back. Shunsui, at least, had no interest in defying them – yet.

Hikaru captured Rei's hand in his. "Are you satisfied?" he asked softly.

She shrugged. "It won't bring her back." Several steps passed in silence before she nodded reluctantly. "But, yes."

Hikaru smiled at her, blue eyes soft. "I'm glad." Happiness surged in his reiatsu.

Shunsui bit back a smile as he watched them. _Ah, young love_ … He smirked and slung an arm over Juushiro's shoulders. _I'm sure we're just as mushy, though I'd like to think I don't have quite as much of that puppy-dog look in my eyes_.

 _Don't be so sure of that_ , Katen Kyokotsu informed him, though she sounded more amused than disparaging.

Shunsui chuckled. "I love you, you know," he impulsively murmured into Juushiro's hair.

The white-haired student stiffened, then relaxed with a sigh into Shunsui's embrace. "I love you too," he whispered back, wrapping his arm around Shunsui's waist.

"Well, aren't you all cute." A grey-clad figure slipped out of the alleyway beside them. Shunsui froze, one hand reaching for the hilt of his longer sword, when the figure pulled back her hood. "Hello, boys. And lady."

Shunsui pulled his hand away from his sword. "Whisper." His heart sped up. Was she calling in the favor now?

She favored him with a crooked grin. "What, not happy to see me?" She chuckled, then sobered. "So your boy got what he deserved – good. It's good to see that the system works as intended, on occasion." Her eyes narrowed. "But I didn't come here for that. You know that favor you owe me?"

Shunsui's gut knotted, butterflies fluttering madly in his stomach. "Yes?" he asked slowly, stepping away from Juushiro.

Whisper's lips stretched into an ironic smile. "Keep an eye out for a message. I'll be in touch soon." She bowed shallowly to them all. "Take care of yourself, Academy students."

Shunsui's heart began to slow as he watched her leave, though tension still held his muscles tauter than harp strings. "She…" He shook his head. "I wonder if she likes provoking reactions from people. Sure seems like it…" As the sentence drifted off, he laughed. "Come on, I need a drink after that."

Juushiro captured his hand before he could go more than two steps. "We're confined to campus, remember?" Shunsui groaned, and Juushiro smiled wryly. "Come on, you can get a drink back in our dorm room – I know you've got sake stashed away there."

"Not enough for a whole month," Shunsui grumbled, but he let his lover tug him back in the direction of the Academy. "Fine. Party in our room, everyone!"

Rei chuckled. "After today, I can think of nothing better." She twined fingers with Hikaru, who nodded without saying anything.

Ryuu bounded ahead, a grin splitting his face in half. "Let's go!" Aono and Taro laughed as he swerved around a bucket lying abandoned in the street, nearly tripping himself in the process before hopping back upright and continuing onwards without ever losing his smile.

Shunsui glanced over at Koji. "You coming?"

After a moment, the commoner shrugged. "Sure. Why not?"

A smile spread across Shunsui's face. "Good." He tugged Juushiro a little closer. "We'd better find a way to replenish my sake stash, though," he murmured in his lover's ear, before kissing it gently.

Juushiro's cheeks turned pink as a spark of mischief lit in his eyes. "Don't worry, I think we can come up with distractions so you don't miss your sake when it runs out." He squeezed Shunsui's hand, glancing up at him from beneath lowered eyelashes.

Shunsui laughed delightedly. "Well, in that case…" He slung an arm over Juushiro's shoulder. "Maybe I'll have to ask for our punishment to be extended!"

* * *

 **Author's Note** : Well, that's a wrap, everyone. Thank you for coming on this adventure with me – it's certainly been a wild ride. This isn't the first novel-length story I've completed, but it's the first one I'm truly proud of, and I hope that you all enjoyed it. I'm planning to revise it, possibly heavily, so if you have feedback on the story overall, I'd love to hear it! Thank you again – you are all amazing.


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